A deadly fire tore through a biscuit factory near the city of Trikala in central Greece on Monday, leaving four workers dead and one person still unaccounted for.
According to authorities and local media, 13 employees were present at the Violanta factory when the fire broke out. Eight workers managed to escape the building, while emergency services later confirmed that four people lost their lives in the blaze. A fifth worker remains missing and is feared dead.
Speaking to international media, Trikala’s deputy mayor for civil protection, Giorgos Katavoutas, said there was little hope of finding the missing person alive due to the intensity of the explosion and the fire that followed. Greece’s largest trade union, the General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE), stated that the four confirmed victims were women.
Seven individuals were taken to hospital following the incident, including one firefighter. Greece’s Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis said that none of those hospitalized are in critical condition.
The cause of the fire has not yet been officially determined. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that a specialised fire department team has been tasked with investigating the circumstances of the tragedy in order to establish what happened and determine responsibility.
Violanta, a well-known Greek food manufacturer, produces around 130 biscuit and cookie products, including breakfast biscuits, wafers, cereals and granola. In a statement issued after the incident, the company said its immediate focus is on supporting employees and their families during this difficult time.
Investigations into the fatal fire are ongoing.
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