Explosion and fire hit KNDS ammunition plant near Rome

The Story in Brief

An explosion and fire rocked the KNDS Ammo Italy plant in Colleferro, 60 km southeast of Rome, on Thursday, forcing an evacuation. No injuries were reported, the national police told Bloomberg. The fire broke out in the powder pressing department, according to Ansa. The plant makes medium and large-calibre ammunition, fuzes, grenades, missile warheads and propellant powders.

Firefighters nearly extinguished the blaze by Thursday afternoon. A company representative said the cause is under investigation and it is too early to provide confirmed details. The incident follows a fast-moving fire at a Rheinmetall ammunition plant in Spain in January 2025 that disrupted production for almost a year.