Explosion from Campfire in Carpathian Mountains Kills Two Tourists: What Happened and Investigators' Versions

The explosion may have been caused by the detonation of a World War I or World War II shell.

An explosion occurred in the Carpathian Mountains in Ivano-Frankivsk region after a campfire was lit, leaving two vacationing tourists dead and five injured; the main version is that a shell at the campfire site exploded.

We explain how the incident happened, how State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU) rescuers saved the tourists and what versions the investigation is putting forward.

Details of the incident

At night on September 15, a group of 12 tourists, two of whom were children, was injured by an explosion during a rest stop in the "Pod Berdy" valley near the village of Voronenko after they lit a campfire.

Two people died as a result of the incident, and five others suffered injuries of varying severity and concussions.

SESU rescuers immediately announced a call-out for search and rescue units from Vorokhta, Verkhovyna, Yaremche, Zarosliak, Kosiv and Ivano-Frankivsk.

After finding the group, rescuers first escorted one injured tourist, and later led out all the uninjured tourists. 

Four hours after the incident, rescuers began carrying one seriously injured person and two other injured people on stretchers, as well as two children in satisfactory condition.

They were transported by off-road vehicles to the foot of the mountain in the village of Voronenko. They were handed over to relatives who, after speaking with a psychologist, left for the city of Kolomyia in their own vehicle.

14 vehicles were brought in to assist the injured,  and 48 people took part in search and rescue operations.

Main version 

As the National Police later reported, preliminary information indicates that a shell from the First World War exploded in the mountains. A criminal case has been opened over the incident.

Police noted that the explosion occurred some time after the campfire was lit, and the two who died were sitting right by the fire.

It is reported that the Arpad Line ran through the territory where the tourists were resting. 

A crater formed by the explosion and corroded metal fragments resembling pieces of a First World War shell were found at the scene. 

Investigators have entered information about the case into the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations under Part 1 of Article 115 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Forensic examinations will be appointed in the case, through which police will establish all the circumstances of the incident.