Examilia: Three arrested over fatal factory explosion to appear before prosecutor

The three people arrested over the deadly explosion that occurred yesterday, Monday (27 July), at a vinegar production factory in Examilia, Corinthia, are due to appear before a prosecutor today, Tuesday (28 July).

They are the company’s 47-year-old owner, the 46-year-old safety technician and the 46-year-old operations supervisor, who are accused of being responsible for the conditions under which the explosion and subsequent fire occurred.

The blast killed a 67-year-old factory worker and injured one other person.

Questions over the circumstances of yet another workplace fatality in Greece

According to the evidence gathered so far, omissions and failures to comply with safety rules and measures have been identified.

The preliminary investigation to establish the exact causes and circumstances of the incident is in full progress and is being conducted by the Corinthia Arson Crimes Investigation Unit of the Directorate for Combating Arson Crimes.

Following the latest fatal incident, the Directorate for Combating Arson Crimes issued a strong warning to business owners, safety officers and employees to strictly comply with the prescribed safety and fire protection regulations.

It stressed that any work or activity that could cause an explosion or fire must be avoided, particularly in areas containing flammable materials or liquefied petroleum gas installations.

The tragic reality facing workers across the country is reflected in an independent tally by the Federation of Associations of Technical Enterprise Employees of Greece (OSETEE), according to which at least 91 people have died in workplace accidents since the beginning of the year.

Video captures the moment of the explosion

Documentary footage shows the massive explosion frame by frame.

A fireball erupted from the factory, while the deafening blast shook the entire Corinthia region.

What we know about the factory explosion

Information gathered by NEWS 24/7 at the scene points to a huge explosion involving a mixture of vinegar and alcohol amounting to between 13,000 and 15,000 litres.

According to initial information from korinthostv, a deafening blast was heard throughout the area, alarming residents. A large fire broke out inside the factory shortly afterwards.

The material was stored inside a tank and, for reasons that remain unknown, ignited, causing the deafening explosion and the fire that appears to have killed the worker.

Welding work was reportedly being carried out on a tank inside the factory at the time. Investigators are also examining whether there was a leak from a pipe passing through the tank and carrying propane.

The explosion claimed the life of a 67-year-old man, according to the Fire Service. Initial reports said that the victim was 25 years old, but after the first identification process was completed, it was established that he was 67.

The worker, who was of Albanian origin, was found dead inside the factory by his brother.

Another man working at a neighbouring construction site outside the factory was injured after being struck by debris hurled by the explosion.

The facility is a small unit employing no more than five or six people and has operated at the same location for several years.

The Fire Service reportedly certified the installation only a few days ago, although no further details have been made public.

A total of 32 firefighters, 10 fire engines and a team from a ground unit were deployed to the scene.

Stoimenidis: “A deafening admission that the inspection mechanisms have collapsed”

Andreas Stoimenidis, head of OSETEE, painted a bleak picture of workplace conditions in comments to NEWS 24/7.

“The sacrifice of human lives in the workplace continues, with industrial explosions becoming increasingly frequent. Following the deadly accident at Violanta, the industrial accident at the Thessaloniki Industrial Area and the recent incident in Aspropyrgos that left one worker dead, another young man, aged 25, lost his life today at a vinegar factory in Corinth,” Stoimenidis initially said.

“The explosive combination of the dismantling of the occupational health and safety system, gaps in the licensing process and the monitoring of industrial facilities, as well as the labyrinthine legal framework governing cooperation between the Labour Inspectorate, the Ministry of Development, the Fire Service and regional authorities, raises fears of an even greater workplace and industrial disaster,” he added.

“This succession of industrial explosions is a deafening admission of the collapse of inspection mechanisms and employer arbitrariness, signed in the blood of innocent people,” the head of OSETEE concluded.