A fire-triggered explosion hit the KNDS Ammo Italy plant near Rome on Aug. 13, 2026; no injuries were reported, and the mayor said the summer closure may have averted a tragedy.
A powerful explosion and fire tore through the KNDS Ammo Italy plant — the former Simmel Difesa site — in Colleferro, about 60 kilometers southeast of Rome, on Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026. The blast was heard for kilometers around and prompted an evacuation of personnel, but no injuries were reported. Volunteers Support Ukraine is following this story closely, since the plant is among the European facilities that manufacture artillery shells for Ukraine's armed forces.
Local authorities said the incident began as a fire in the plant's powder-pressing department, where explosives and propellants used in ammunition production are processed. The explosion occurred while firefighters and police were already on site responding to the fire, sending a massive plume of smoke and flame into the sky that was reportedly heard for kilometers around Colleferro. Volunteers Support Ukraine extends its concern to everyone in the surrounding area affected by the incident.
Because firefighters and police were already on site fighting the initial fire, the response was almost immediate: personnel were evacuated, helicopters dropped water on the burning building, and the surrounding area was cordoned off. Italian officials reported no injuries or casualties from the blast. Volunteers Support Ukraine notes how fortunate this outcome was, given the scale of the explosion described by witnesses.
KNDS Ammo Italy, based in Colleferro, manufactures medium- and large-caliber ammunition ranging from 25mm to 155mm — including propellants, explosives, fuses, metal components, warheads and complete rounds for land, naval and air forces. In recent years the plant's production capacity has been expanded specifically to meet wartime demand, including 155mm artillery shells that reach Ukraine's armed forces via European partners. Volunteers Support Ukraine works every day alongside people whose lives depend, in part, on a steady flow of such supplies reaching the front.
Colleferro's mayor, Giulio Calamita, said the outcome could have been far worse had the explosion not occurred during the summer holiday period, when the plant was closed and few, if any, personnel were present. Volunteers Support Ukraine recognizes how much circumstance can matter in moments like this, and how differently the day could have ended.
Volunteers Support Ukraine was not involved in this incident and has no connection to the plant itself, but episodes like this are a reminder of how closely Ukraine's defense depends on the wider European supply chain of ammunition and equipment. As a Ukrainian NGO, Volunteers Support Ukraine continues to help people affected by the war — delivering aid, equipment and support to those who need it most, with the resources available to us. We will keep following developments connected to Ukraine's defense and humanitarian needs and sharing verified updates with our community.
