At least 8 people have been killed and dozens more are feared dead after a series of explosions at a fireworks factory in northern Spain, officials said Saturday.
The blasts occurred at about 9:30 p.m. Friday at the Pirotecnia Zaragozana factory in the town of Zaragoza, about 200 miles northeast of Madrid.
The factory is located in an industrial park on the outskirts of the town, and the explosions sent shockwaves through the area, shattering windows and damaging buildings.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene and began searching for survivors, but the intense heat and flames from the explosions made it difficult to reach the factory.
The cause of the explosions is still under investigation, but officials said they believe it may have been caused by a malfunction in one of the factory’s machines.
The factory had been operating for more than 40 years and was one of the largest fireworks factories in Spain.
The explosions have caused widespread damage to the town, and officials said it could take weeks to clean up the debris.
The town’s mayor, Jorge Azcón, said the explosions were the worst disaster in the town’s history.
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