Fireworks factory explosion in Spain: Owner killed with four others injured including his son

THE owner of an Alicante fireworks factory died and four others were injured- one seriously- after an explosion on Thursday.

The blast happened at around 11.20am at a warehouse belonging to the Hermanos Sirvent company in Fontcalent.

The deceased man was Pedro Luis Sirvent- a very well-known figure in the pyrotechnic sector.

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One of the injured employees, a 68-year-old man, suffered burns covering 80% of his body and was taken by helicopter to Valencia’s La Fe Hospital.

The group also included Pedro Luis Sirvent’s son, Adrian, who was treated for shock.

A woman, 43, was taken to Alicante General Hospital suffering from mild smoke inhalation as well as shock.

Around 100 firefighters, police, civil protection staff and paramedics were deployed to the site.

Fire crews stopped the blaze spreading to another warehouse containing 800 kilos of gunpowder.

Services on the nearby high-speed AVE rail line between Alicante and Monforte del Cid were suspended from 12.30pm at the request of the Alicante fire team, and were restored three hours later.

Alicante mayor, Luis Barcala, praised the heroic work of the Policia Local whose officers were the first on the scene.

“They entered the burning fireworks warehouse to to extract the injured,” he said.

Very ‘localised’ structural damage was caused, according to authorities.

The Policia Nacional are investigating the cause of the explosion.