At 12 o'clock yesterday, the air quality values in the village of Elin Pelin Station are normalized

After a report of a fire and accident in the fireworks warehouse in Elin Pelin, the Minister of Environment and Water immediately sent a team of the Regional Inspectorate for Environment and Water - Sofia (RIOSV - Sofia) to the spot.

To assess the impact of the fire on ambient air quality, the mobile laboratory of the Environmental Executive Agency is also on site, which is located in the village of Elin Pelin Station, about 1 km from the warehouse, and will remain as long as necessary.

Preliminary mobile lab data collected over the past hours shows the following:

· Elevated values ​​of fine dust particles (MPF 10) were reported. With an average nightly rate of 50 micrograms/m3, at 1:00 a.m. the hourly concentration was 55 micrograms/m3, at 3:00 a.m. – 85 mg/m3, respectively, at 4:00 a.m. – 128 mg/m3 (the maximum measured value), while at 12 o'clock yesterday 12 mg/m3 were already recorded. Sufficient data has yet to be collected over the 24-hour period to make a final assessment.

· No exceedances of average hourly standards for sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone were recorded.

· No exceedances of the eight-hour limit for carbon dioxide were recorded.

The mobile station will continue to monitor air quality in the area and provide information on the current situation.

RIOSV - Sofia has given instructions to the General Directorate "Fire Safety and Protection of the Population" (DG PBZN) about the safe zones and distances around the scene of the accident. Due to the continued thunder, the inspection of the place is not yet possible.

The company has been classified as an enterprise with low risk potential since 2017. It is inspected annually by order of the Minister of the Environment and Waters by an inter-ministerial commission (SEVEZO commission) composed of: chairman of RIOSV - Sofia and members - Regional Office "Fire Safety and Protection of the Population" - Elin Pelin at the Regional Directorate "Fire Safety and protection of the population" - Sofia, Elin Pelin Municipality, Main Labor Inspectorate and Control of General Hazardous Materials (CGHM) at the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Already yesterday, the SEVEZO commission was informed about the accident and will carry out an inspection after they are admitted by the authorities of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The Minister of Environment and Water, Petar Dimitrov, is personally monitoring the situation and was on the scene until the late hours of the night.