Explosion at Fireworks Factory in Colombia

At least one woman has died and 33 others have been injured in an explosion at a fireworks and firecracker factory in a suburb of Bogotá, according to local Colombian authorities. Juan Sánchez Perico, the mayor of the industrial town of Soacha, wrote on X: "Health authorities report one woman dead and 33 injured." Colombian newspapers reported that a powerful explosion occurred around 5:00 PM local time (10:00 PM GMT). The explosion destroyed a large part of the factory, which was built on the slopes of a mountain, leading to the outbreak of a fire, as shown in aerial footage. The cause of the explosion, which occurred at a gunpowder and fireworks factory, is still unknown, as stated by Bogotá Mayor Carlos Galán on X. Rescue teams were dispatched to the scene immediately. The blast caused windows of nearby residences to shatter.