It was barely 2pm on Tuesday 3 August when an explosion shattered the summer calm in the town of Bergerac in the Dordogne. The explosion occurred right at the base of the Manuco factory, which specializes in the production of nitrocellulose, an essential element in the production of gunpowder and explosives.
Eight people were injured, one of them seriously, Mayor Jonathan Priolo said, urging people to avoid the area. A fire also broke out near Garro Boulevard. Emergency services are on site. The departmental operational center has activated the prefecture of Dordogne.
Seveso site, high threshold
Installed since 2013, the station is classified as a Seveso high-threshold site, that is, a high level of vigilance applied to risky industrial facilities. Seveso sites produce or store materials that can be hazardous to people and the environment and are subject to very strict regulations.
Source: Le Figaro
