The incident happened in the early hours of Monday. Thirteen workers were inside the facility at the time. Eight managed to get out on their own after the explosion. In the section where five women were working, three were found dead in the rubble, a fourth was located shortly after, and the fifth missing worker was later recovered dead.
Authorities are investigating the exact causes of the explosion and fire. A full technical and expert report is expected. The bodies are also due to be formally identified, with genetic material requested from relatives to speed up the process.
Political parties across the spectrum issued statements and called for an investigation into the circumstances of the disaster. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed condolences to the families during the cabinet meeting. Former prime minister Alexis Tsipras said workplace safety is a fundamental right and questioned how long people will keep “chasing survival” at deadly risk. SYRIZA leader Socrates Famellos demanded a full investigation and accountability, pointing to a wider rise in occupational accidents. PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis said safety must be guaranteed “in every way” to prevent workers suffering again. The KKE described a “heavy blood toll” paid by the working class and demanded clear answers “without any cover-up”. The New Left said protecting life and safety at work is a non-negotiable obligation of the state and employers, arguing government policy has failed.
Unions and labour bodies are also mobilising. The Trikala Labour Centre announced a protest rally on Monday at 6 pm in Riga Feraios Square and declared a 24-hour strike for Tuesday, 27 January, with a strike rally at 11 am at the same location. Its president, Dimitris Armagos, said warnings about workplace safety in local factories had been repeatedly raised.
PAME backed the mobilisations, calling for stronger health and safety measures and denouncing those who focus on “damage that entrepreneurship has suffered” while workers are dead or injured. The GSEE said it is unacceptable in 2026 for workers to die at work, calling for a thorough investigation, the attribution of responsibility without cover-up, scrutiny of working conditions, an assessment of inspection capacity in the area, and the immediate convening of the Council for Occupational Health and Safety at the Labour Ministry to discuss the GSEE’s proposals.
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