Death Toll in Bulgarian Orphanage Blast Rises to 3

Social Minister, Totyu Mladenov, is on his way Saturday evening to the Krumovgrad orphanage where three children died after a homemade bomb exploded. Photo by BGNES

Three boys, ages 13, 15 and 16, died Saturday when a homemade bomb exploded in an orphanage in the southern Bulgarian town of Krumovgrad.

The device went off around 2 pm. One of the boys died on the scene while the other has been taken to the Krumovgrad hospital where he later died. A third boy was listed in critical condition in the hospital in the regional center – the city of Kardzhali, and died during surgery.

Police arrived shortly after the blast and found remains from a homemade explosive. It is still unclear if the children were trying to make the bomb or it came from outside and exploded while the boys were handling it.

Forensic experts and members of the anti-terrorist task force are searching the location while psychologists are helping the other children cope with the tragedy. The Social Minister, Totyu Mladenov, his deputy, Valentina Simeonova, and the Director of the State Agency for Child Protection, Nadya Shabani, are on their way to Krumovgrad.

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