A powerful explosion tore through part of an ammunition factory near the Italian capital Rome on Thursday following a fire.
There were no casualties, according to initial reports from the KNDS Ammo Italy plant.
Comments by emergency responders at the scene indicated that the fire and blast occurred in the powder processing and pressing area, the ANSA news agency reported.
The precise circumstances of the incident are under investigation. However, citing official sources, the agency said there was no immediate suspicion of arson or sabotage.
KNDS Ammo Italy is part of the Franco-German defence company KNDS. The factory in the town of Colleferro, south of Rome, produces ammunition and other defence products.
Residents in the area said they heard a loud bang. Videos circulating on social media showed a large fire at the location, followed by a massive explosion and a huge mushroom-shaped plume of smoke rising into the sky.
"The shock is immense, but at this moment it is important to remain calm and, above all, not to spread false information," the mayor of Colleferro, Giulio Calamita, wrote on Facebook.