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Date Published: 31/01/2025

Explosion at Murcia munitions factory leaves six injured and half an acre burned

The German company manufactures arms for over 60 international clients

A low explosion at the Rheinmetall Expal Munitions factory in Murcia has left six people injured, one of them seriously. The explosion also caused a fire that burned approximately 2,000 square metres, or half an acre, of scrubland in the central Murcia district of Javalí Viejo before being brought under control by firefighters.

Rheinmetall Expal Munitions is a global ammunition and armament manufacturer for artillery, mortar and medium calibre rounds, who also make grenades and bombs designed to be dropped from aircraft.

They supply arms and munitions to the Spanish, Swiss, US and Ukrainian militaries, among many others.

The explosion occurred at around 4.20pm on Thursday January 30 at the company's facilities in Murcia city. Emergency services responded swiftly, confirming that six individuals suffered injuries, some from burns and others from smoke inhalation. One of the injured was reported to be in serious condition.

Medical teams transported two of the injured to the Morales Meseguer hospital and three others to the Virgen de La Arrixaca hospital. The severity of the injuries varied, with emergency sources highlighting one case as particularly serious.

Following the deflagration – a slower-speed explosion caused by 'low' explosives – a fire broke out in the vicinity of the factory.

Firefighters were deployed to contain the blaze, which ultimately burned around 2,000 square metres of scrubland before being extinguished. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the explosion.

This is not the first accident to take place at these facilities. In January last year, a fire caused by solvents resulted in serious burns to two workers. The recurrence of incidents at the factory has raised concerns about safety measures and protocols in place at the site.

The factory was founded in the 18th century for the manufacture of gunpowder and explosives.

Last December, leftist party Izquierda Unida-Verdes asked the regional government in Murcia for "transparency" about the activities of the factory and its possible relationship with the arms trade from the Port of Cartagena, urging them to clarify details about the production and destination of their explosives, suspecting that arms were being manufactured to be sent to Israel to be used in the war against Palestine.

"It would be a real scandal if the Spanish government were allowing the bullets and rockets with which Israel has already killed more than 40,000 Palestinians to be manufactured in Spain, evading its own arms embargo," said the Podemos member of parliament from Murcia, Javier Sánchez Serna, from the door of the factory at the time.

Originally, these facilities were under state administration, but in 2010 they were acquired by Explosivos Alaveses following an agreement with the Ministry of Defence. Then, in the summer of 2023, the German multinational Rheinmetall took over the management of the factory.

Authorities are expected to conduct a thorough review of the circumstances surrounding the latest explosion to prevent further accidents in the future.

Image: Google Maps

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