Eurasia Press & News
A 45-year old woman died in an accidental blast in an army depot in the southern Albanian town of Polican.
According to Albania’s Ministry of Defense, another worker was wounded and was recovering in a local hospital.
“The explosion happened as result of human error outside the demolition wing of the depot while the victim was burning old artillery cases,” said spokeswoman Albana Mustafaraj.
According to the Ministry the demolition process at the site had been suspended months ago, but workers were clearing the area of artillery shell igniters. Police have sealed-off the area and prosecutors have been sent from Tirana to investigate the blast.
Last March, an explosion at an army depot at the village of Gerdec left 26 dead, 300 wounded and over 3000 homeless. The blasts began when workers were moving stocks of old Chinese and Soviet shells stored at the base, a central collection point for the arsenal amassed by stalinist dictator Enver Hoxha.
Albania has been trying for years to dismantle the obsolete arsenal, set as one of the conditions for the country to formally join NATO this year.
Former defense minister Fatmir Mediu is under investigation for abuse of power in connection with the Gerdec blast. Mediu says the charges are politically motivated.
