53 children evacuated after sewer explosion near kindergarten in Gorna Oryahovitsa

Fifty-three children from a kindergarten in Gorna Oryahovitsa were evacuated around midday today, May 12, after an explosion in the sewerage system nearby.

It is believed that chemicals discharged into the sewage network triggered a reaction which led to the blast.

No one was injured. Within an hour, all children had been collected by their parents. However, the shockwave caused significant material damage to the kindergarten building.

Police sealed off the area, while teams from the fire service, the regional environmental inspectorate, the Regional Health Inspectorate and the local water utility company were dispatched to the scene. An investigation is under way.

Desislava Boshnakova, director of the "Children's World" Kindergarten:

“We evacuated the children, as you can see. They have all gone home. Afterwards, operational procedures were carried out by the relevant authorities. Fortunately, there were no injuries, although the incident caused shattered windows and drain covers to be blown out inside the kindergarten.”

photos by BNT