A catastrophic explosion and subsequent fire at a biscuit factory in central Greece has resulted in the deaths of five female night shift workers, with seven others sustaining injuries, according to official reports. The tragic incident occurred at the Violanta biscuit manufacturing facility located near the city of Trikala, approximately 200 miles north of Athens.
Night Shift Horror Unfolds
The blast erupted during the overnight shift, with the resulting inferno completely gutting the industrial plant. Authorities confirmed that thirteen individuals were present within the factory when the fire initially broke out, with only eight managing to escape the premises before the situation became critical.
Emergency Response and Recovery Efforts
Approximately forty firefighters with thirteen emergency vehicles battled the intense blaze for multiple hours before gaining sufficient control to begin recovery operations. During these efforts, four bodies—all identified as women—were recovered from the devastated structure.
Fire officials later reported that parts of a fifth female victim were discovered at the scene, with formal identification pending through DNA analysis procedures. Thick black smoke billowed into the sky as flames continued to engulf the roof of the industrial complex throughout the emergency response.
Official Statements and Investigation
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis addressed the tragedy during a televised cabinet meeting, stating, "Unfortunately, the day began in the shadow of the tragic accident in Trikala, at a modern food production facility. Our thoughts today are with the families of the victims. On behalf of the entire cabinet, I express to them our deepest condolences."
The Prime Minister further confirmed that fire service investigators were already examining the circumstances surrounding the incident to establish responsibility for what occurred.
Company Response and Ongoing Concerns
Violanta, a locally based business with national distribution for products including whole-wheat cookies, chocolate-sandwich biscuits, and cereal bars, issued a statement expressing profound sadness about the fire. The company acknowledged that "a serious incident occurred at our factory premises, during the night shift, for a currently unknown reason" and confirmed full cooperation with relevant authorities.
Giorgos Katavoutas, Trikala's deputy mayor for civil protection, provided a sobering assessment to media outlets, indicating that "there is no hope of finding any of the missing workers alive, given the force of the explosion and the fire that followed." One individual remains officially unaccounted for following the disaster.
Medical Treatment and Suspected Causes
Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis confirmed that six workers and one firefighter received hospital treatment following the incident, primarily for respiratory problems resulting from smoke inhalation. All injured individuals were reported to be in stable condition without life-threatening injuries.
Police investigators have indicated preliminary suspicions that the explosion may have originated near the factory's ovens, which operate continuously throughout day and night shifts. Arson investigators and emergency crews remained at the scene as authorities worked to determine the precise cause of the explosion that triggered the devastating fire.
The fire reportedly broke out shortly before 4:00 AM local time, creating a complex emergency situation that required extensive resources to bring under control. The Violanta facility, described as a modern food production plant, now stands as the site of one of Greece's recent industrial tragedies.
