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Authorities have launched a criminal case against a metal recycling factory in Aradippou after an explosion last Friday injured three people, officials said.
The Larnaca District Government Organization (DGO) said the factory has been operating without a license since 2014. Angelos Hadjicharalambous, president of the Larnaca Regional Office, said the Enforcement Sector acted immediately to register the case against the factory owner.
“We do not know why the Department of Environment had granted a permit to collect and sort metals for recycling, despite the factory lacking the necessary operating licenses,” Hadjicharalambous said.
Aradippou Mayor Christodoulos Partou noted that two metal recycling companies operate in close proximity in the same area. One factory suffered an explosion last year, and last Friday’s blast occurred at the neighboring facility.
According to Partou, the owners bought the land in 2014 and began storing scrap metal while applying for operating permits. In 2019, the Department of Environment, through the Attorney General, moved to suspend operations. A request for an extension in 2022 was denied, and the court fined the owners €600 in 2023.
“As soon as I learned the factory was still operating without a license, I informed the Larnaca District Government Organization,” Partou said. He added that the Aradippou Municipal Council will meet this week to discuss the incident and determine the local authority’s next steps.
