According to Reuters report on August 13th, a fire broke out at a military factory near the Italian capital Rome, followed by a violent explosion. No casualties were reported, and relevant authorities are investigating and assessing the exact causes of the fire and explosion.
The factory where the explosion occurred is located in the city of Colifeiro, near Rome. It is owned by KNDS Ammunition Italy, a joint French-German venture of European military industrial giants. Local officials said that the fire at the factory caused the explosion, and the incident seems to have taken place in the gunpowder pressing workshop.
Even from several kilometers away, the sound of an explosion could be heard. Anna Rita Quarino, a resident nearby, told the Associated Press that she suddenly heard a loud noise while taking a nap at home. “At first, we thought it was an earthquake.”
KNDS stated that no one was injured in the accident. Julio Calamita, mayor of Colifeiro, pointed out that the explosion occurred during the summer holiday when factories were closed, otherwise it would have been 'a tragedy'.
Video screenshot of footage taken by local residents showing the explosion at the military factory
According to reports, this factory mainly produces medium and large-caliber ammunition for land and maritime defense systems, as well as solid fuel for space launch vehicles. EU documents indicate that the Italian KNDS ammunition company was one of the EU contractors who signed a framework agreement for 155-millimeter shells with the European Defense Agency in 2023.
As of now, Italy has not determined the specific cause of the explosion. The judicial authorities are conducting an investigation and assessment at the scene.
