Fire department refutes claim of explosion at Vasiliko

Following media reports of an explosion at the Vasiliko power plant injuring two people on Thursday, the fire department on Friday said the incident was merely the sudden release gas in the compressed air fire-fighting system.

“It was a violent release of the compressed air fire extinguishing system and not an explosion, as was inadvertently initially reported,” the fire service’s press officer Constantinos Kyriakou said.

According to the fire service, the incident occurred during maintenance works at the electricity authority’s (EAC) power plant at 1.13pm on Thursday afternoon.

Two workers, aged 41 and 42, who were dealing with the replacement of cylinders containing nitrogen and argon, were injured in the incident and admitted to Limassol hospital.

The younger man sustained a head injury and was kept in as a precaution, while the 42-year-old was discharged after receiving first aid.