Stara Zagora waste depot fire near Rakitnica subdued, air monitoring deployed

A large fire erupted on July 7 at the Regional Waste Management Center near the village of Rakitnica in the Stara Zagora region of Bulgaria. Firefighters from the regional fire safety directorate, supported by municipal water trucks and specialized depot equipment, contained the blaze by the evening. No injuries were reported and nearby villages did not experience hazardous smoke.

A mobile laboratory was stationed to continuously monitor atmospheric air quality for at least 72 hours. Initial measurements show no exceedances of safety limits. Authorities are investigating the cause, with possibilities including spontaneous methane ignition from improperly discarded batteries or other hazardous waste.