In this investigation, two different varieties of 'Prada' limestones were studied: a dark grey texture, bearing quartz, clay minerals, organic matter and pyrites, and a light grey texture with little or no presence of such components. We have observed two effects of different intensity when heating the dark texture from 400º C: i) the explosion of certain samples and ii) greater thermal damage than in the light grey texture. Chemical and mineralogical composition, texture, microstructure, and physical properties (i.e. colour, open porosity, P and S-wave velocity) have been evaluated at temperatures of 105, 300, 400 and 500º C in order to identify differences between textures. The violence of the explosive events was clear and cannot be confounded with ordinary splitting and cracking on thermally-treated rocks: exploded samples underwent a total loss of integrity, displacing and overturning the surrounding samples, and embedding fragments in the walls of the furnace, whose impacts were clearly heard in the laboratory. Thermogravimetric results allowed the identification of a process of oxidation of pyrites releasing SO 2 from 400º C. This process jointly with the presence of micro-fissures in the 2 dark texture, would cause a dramatic increase in pore-pressure, leading to a rapid growth and coalescence of microcracks that leads to a process of catastrophic decay in rock integrity. In addition to the explosive events, average ultrasound velocities and open porosity showed a greater variation in the dark grey texture from 400º C. That results also points towards a significant contribution of oxidation of pyrites on the thermochemical damage of the rock, among other factors such as the pre-existence of microfissuresand the thermal expansion coefficient mismatch between minerals. Implications in underground infrastructure and mining engineering works are critical, as the explosive potential of pyrite-bearing limestones bear risk for mass fracturing and dramatic strength decay from 400º C. Moreover, SO 2 released has harmful effects on health of people and the potential to form acid compounds that corrode materials, shortening their durability and increasing maintenance costs.