Blast in Bulgarian pipeline cuts supply

SOFIA, Bulgaria – An explosion ripped through a pipeline in Bulgaria on Monday, interrupting Russian gas supplies to Greece, authorities said. No injuries were reported.

The most likely cause of the blast was a gas leak, said Angel Semerdjiev, general manager of Bulgartransgas, an affiliate of state-owned gas company Bulgargaz.


It occurred near the town of Blagoevgrad, 50 miles south of Sofia, and damaged about 30 feet of the pipeline running beneath farmland, police said.

Energy Ministry spokeswoman Veselina Velcheva said authorities were investigating. A recent inspection had shown “that everything was in good order,” she said.

AP