Police said that the explosion at Chemring Countermeasures, located in the English city of Salisbury, left one person dead. However, they added that it is not related to the Novichok poisonings in Salisbury and Amesbury, according to a Sky News TV report.
READ MORE: One Dead After Explosion at UK Military Factory in Salisbury
A 29-year-old man from Southampton died in the blast; while a second man, 26, from Pewsey was injured and was taken to the hospital. His condition is described as serious, but stable, according to the report.
Wiltshire Police have confirmed the person who died after an explosion at a military hardware factory near Salisbury is a 29-year-old man from Southampton
— MTE NEWS (@mtenewsuk) August 11, 2018
The investigation into the cause of the explosion is still underway.
"We are working closely with the Health and Safety Executive on this investigation to determine the cause of the explosion and our enquiries will be continuing at the site today," Detective Inspector Simon Pope said, as cited by Sky News.
A local police spokesperson also stated that there is no risk to people living in the area.
The factory, which covers an area of about 100 acres, produces missiles for the armed forces and launchers for firing chaff rockets [which serve as protection against missiles] for the Navy and Aviation. The plant is located halfway between Salisbury and Amesbury, not far away from the Porton Down laboratory, which investigates the poisonings.
Salisbury and Amesbury Poisonings
On July 4, the UK police reported a "serious incident" in Amesbury, where two people were exposed to an unknown substance and hospitalized in critical condition. Shortly after, the UK police announced that the couple, Dawn Sturgess and Charlie Rowley, were believed to have handled an item allegedly contaminated with the same military-grade nerve agent, which was purpotedly used in an alleged attack on the Skripals in Salisbury. On July 8, Sturgess died at the hospital, while Rowley was soon discharged from the medical facility.
