On Saturday, a trash bin exploded at Ülemiste Shopping Center. A nearby employee was injured. The employee required hospital treatment, but their condition is not life-threatening.
Kapol initiated a criminal investigation into the incident. They ruled out a terrorism threat. Kapol Director General Margo Palloson said: „At the moment, nothing points to terrorism or extremism. The threat level has not increased, and this is an isolated incident.“
The Rescue Board checked the center's trash bins overnight. They confirmed that there are no other dangerous devices. No additional threats were found.
Kapol Director General Egert Belitšev said: „The explosion during the holiday period causes fear in many. To maintain people's sense of security, we are more visible in crowded places during the holidays. Based on current information, there is no reason to change our behavior.“
Tiia Nõmm, the head of Ülemiste Shopping Center, said the explosion was unexpected. She emphasized that the safety of visitors and employees is very important. „We are working closely with investigators. As the investigation is ongoing, we cannot comment on the details of the incident. We wish the victim a speedy recovery.“
Nõmm added that the police confirmed – there is no security threat and the center can open. „We have reviewed the security procedures and increased the guard team. We confirm that Ülemiste Shopping Center is safe, and visitors are welcome to shop.“
The police also contacted other shopping centers. They sent them behavioral guidelines. The investigation is being conducted by Kapol and the Northern District Prosecutor's Office.