The inspection of the scene took place from August 5 to 9, as the thunder of fireworks was a long period of time. This made it difficult for the investigation team. The investigators carried out an inspection of the storage premises. The two victims, Teodor Popov and Stoyan Masev, were identified by DNA analysis. The other two victims are Prof. Shishkov and his daughter Kristina Shishkova.
This was announced by the district prosecutor of Sofia, Natalia Nikolova.
"Inspections were made at a large warehouse of a retail chain, also two inspections of part of the warehouse premises. The bodies of two of the four dead have been found. Another inspection was done, and only on August 5 did the actual inspection begin. Then the team was able to visit all the warehouses on the territory of the company in question, Nikolova reported. 8 inspections have been carried out, intensive work is being done on this case. More than 30 witnesses were questioned. Documentation was requested from the "Customs" Agency, GIT, KOS office, Elin Pelin municipality, DNSK, MO, Enigma company, phone 112, to which over 100 calls were received. The recordings from televisions that covered the event are requested. We do not rule out any of the possible versions, neither an accidental act, nor negligence, nor illegal actions, all options are being investigated," Nikolova added.
The first action of the investigation was by police officers, said supervising prosecutor Nikolay Popov. A team of 6 investigators was formed. Two people died at the scene of the accident, the cause of death was blast trauma. Death was instantaneous, charring of the body took place after death. For the second citizen, the cause of death is the same. 2 DNA examinations have been prepared. The other two citizens died in a hospital from thermal injuries and multiple organ failure, Popov reported, quoted by BGNES.
"Working conditions are complex and difficult - field work in Elin Pelin at 35 degrees. The participation of PBZN was important, they were also constantly during the inspections and secured the area, which is over 24 acres, to secure the working conditions of the experts and specialists, said Kostov. The main expertise has been appointed and its conclusion will provide the basis for appointing the fire-technical expertise," said Kostov.
The two victims, Teodor Popov and Stoyan Masev, were identified by DNA analysis. The other two victims are Prof. Shishkov and his daughter Kristina Shishkova, Kostov specified. After a financial report of the "Fantastico Group", it turned out that their damages were over BGN 3 million. They will present data after their audit, explained Kostov.
I.f. the director of NSLS Ivelina Hristova stated that the most important expertise for the cause of the explosion is the complex expertise. More than 50 physical evidences were seized during the inspections. The SOBT Directorate is conducting a complex examination, it must answer whether there are explosive substances according to the evidence, what was the cause of the explosion and the sequence in which it happened. After its conclusion, a fire-technical expertise will be assigned. "SOBT and PBZN employees were present during the inspections. We have seized security camera footage from the storage facility and technical expertise has been assigned there. After the SOBT's expertise, we will have the reasons for the explosion," Hristova explained.
The head of the team of investigators from the NSLS, Ivan Kostov, said that the pre-trial proceedings are unique in their kind, since so far such things have happened in military facilities, and here we are talking about a warehouse where they were transported for export and internal use pyrotechnic articles, the framework of which is defined in the Law on Explosives and Weapons. "A very serious case,", declared Kostov.