Aradippou explosion caused by army munition

An explosion that occurred on Wednesday in a recycling workshop in Larnaca, injuring three workers, was likely caused by military munition collected from a nearby National Guard shooting ground, said the police.

The explosion that injured three people, one seriously, occurred at around 7:15 a.m. at a metal recycling site in the industrial area of ​​Aradippou.

Initial reports said the explosion had been caused by an item delivered to the site for recycling, which exploded a short while later.

Those injured were taken to Larnaca General Hospital, where it was confirmed that a 68-year-old man was injured seriously but not life-threatening, while the two other victims sustained slight injuries.

Police investigators, aided by National Guard munition experts, believe that an item collected by the 68-year-old and delivered to the recycling plant exploded.

Officers are now trying to locate the exact spot from which the man collected the item, while parts of the munition have been sent for laboratory tests.

At 07:15 on Wednesday, a 68-year-old Greek Cypriot went to the factory to drop off the metals he collected for recycling.

In his attempt to unload an object from his vehicle, the item exploded, injuring him and two other factory workers — an EU citizen and an African asylum seeker.

Officials from the Labour Inspection Department are investigating the circumstances under which the workers were injured.