A 30-year-old man is in critical condition at Nicosia general hospital, having had his hand amputated, after an explosion inside a metal warehouse in Sotira on Friday night, with police alleging he was manufacturing an explosive device at the time of the blast.

Police said the man remains under close medical supervision following the explosion, which occurred at around 9.20pm.

According to police, officers were alerted after receiving reports of the blast in the area, and initial information suggests the device detonated while the man was still inside the warehouse.

The man was first taken to Famagusta general hospital, where he underwent several hours of surgery, during which his hand was amputated due to the extent of his injuries.

Due to the severity of his condition, doctors decided he required specialist care, and he was transferred to Nicosia general hospital, where police said he “is being treated in critical condition”.

Speaking to the Cyprus Mail, police spokesman Vyron Vyronas said that all possibilities were being investigated, confirming that the man was a foreign national who had “been known to police previously”.

The scene in Sotira remains cordoned off and under police guard, with officers seeking CCTV footage and witness testimony that could help establish the exact circumstances surrounding the blast.

Investigators are examining several lines of enquiry, including the possibility that the man was constructing the device himself when it exploded prematurely.