Two people have been severely injured and are in a critical condition following an explosion at an aerospace factory near Toulouse, southern France.
An explosion occurred on Tuesday May 5th, 2026
Two employees at a Safran aerospace industrial site in Blagnac, on the outskirts of Toulouse, were seriously injured in an explosion on Tuesday morning and are in a critical condition in hospital.
The blast happened at around 10.30 am at Safran Ventilation Systems, where fans, valves and electric compressors for the aerospace sector are manufactured.
In a press release to local newspaper La Dépêche du Midi, the company stated that management immediately activated a safety protocol and evacuated the premises and firefighters and police arrived on the scene quickly.
According to initial reports from the scene, the explosion is believed to have occurred in a test area, involving equipment that uses compressed air. Several employees were in the area concerned – two of them were seriously injured and two others, further away from the point of impact, are reported to have suffered minor injuries.
The emergency services also treated several people suffering from shock, particularly those who had rushed to assist the victims in the immediate aftermath. By midday, all employees present on the site had been evacuated. Rescue operations and investigations are continuing at the scene.
An internal investigation is currently underway to determine the precise circumstances of the accident.
Safran has announced the establishment of a psychological support team.