Amid heavy mourning and countless “whys,” relatives and friends said their final “goodbye” today to three of the five workers who lost their lives in the fire at the Violanta biscuit factory facilities in Trikala. Initially, Stavroula Boukovalla was buried at the Saint Athanasios church in the suburb of Karditsa, while the funeral service for Anastasia Nasiou was held in her hometown of Grizano, Trikala. An hour later, Agapi Bounova was buried at the Saint Athanasios church in Megalochorio, Trikala.
Images from Stavroula Boukouvala’s funeral in Karditsa suburb
The funeral of 56-year-old Stavroula Boukouvala took place today, Thursday, January 29, at the Holy Church of Saint Athanasios in Karditsa suburb. The unfortunate woman had been working at the company for the past ten years and was a mother of three children, aged 23, 18, and 15. Relatives, friends, and colleagues gathered at the church to say their final “goodbye,” with grief permeating the atmosphere. Tragic figures were her husband, her children, her parents, and other relatives, bidding farewell to the woman who lost her life in the accident.
Violanta factory: final farewell to Anastasia Nasiou – mourning in Grizano
Relatives and friends said their final goodbye on Thursday morning at the funeral of the tragically lost Anastasia Nasiou, one of the victims of the deadly fire at the “Violanta” factory. Today, Thursday, three of the five workers who perished in the fatal factory are being laid to rest. The funeral service for 65-year-old Anastasia Nasiou took place in her hometown at 11:00 AM in Grizano, Trikala.
The village is plunged in mourning, yet behind the tears lies a demand for justice. In Orange Press Agency’s coverage, village residents spoke about the tragically lost woman, while accusations about working conditions and the employer’s stance toward regulatory mechanisms and unions were also voiced.
Mourning in Trikala: “Here they do whatever they want, workers are unprotected” – silent atmosphere in Grizano, Anastasia Nasiou’s village
Thymios, second cousin of the victim, describes the shock of the news and the atmosphere prevailing in the village: “I learned about it, I heard it on television. And it hit me like that… suddenly like that… I know her because she’s my second cousin. Second cousin. I was deeply saddened. So much… How is the village… it’s like this… Difficult with the anxiety, like this. We have nothing else to say. The same, the same. What can we say…”
Meanwhile, Kosmas, a local resident, refers to the family’s tragic fate and her children who are far away, expressing anguish about the causes: “That’s what we learned. What a tragedy… What can I tell you now, guys… Very sad. She has three children. One in Athens and the other two in Germany. We didn’t learn anything, essentially nothing. Whether there was an electrical leak, whether there was a gas leak… That’s what I imagine.”
Particularly striking is the testimony of Tasos, the unfortunate woman’s neighbor, who speaking to the camera denounced the lack of worker protection, characteristically noting that in the past the Workers’ Center had been denied entry: ”The whole village… Everyone is grieving. The girl passed away like that… Neighbor. Last year in July, the Workers’ Center went to intervene. From then on… Did they inspect it? Didn’t they inspect it? Nobody knows. No… my son was working at the other factory now. That’s how life is… There’s no protection for workers, there isn’t. In no way. The Workers’ Center went and they wouldn’t let them enter inside, to inform the people basically. They don’t allow it. Here it’s ‘they do whatever they want’.”
The heartbreaking “goodbye” from Agapi Bounova’s son – “the pain is unbearable”
An atmosphere of deep anguish also prevailed in Megalochorio, Trikala, where at 4 PM on Thursday (29/01) the funeral of Agapi Bounova was held, one of the five victims of the tragedy at the “Violanta” factory in Trikala. “There’s a sense of injustice that takes our breath away,” said the unfortunate woman’s son in his eulogy, moving the crowd that attended the funeral service to say their final “goodbye” to Agapi. “The pain is unbearable. Agapi was her name and that’s how she lived, with love. She was a woman full of life,” he said speaking in front of the coffin, unable to contain his emotion.
As he emphasized, it was an unexpected and unthinkable loss, a death that no one could predict. “My mother gave without expecting anything in return, her loss is sudden and unjust. An accident that no one could imagine,” he noted. The moment that shocked most was when he spoke about his mother’s actual end, leaving the crowd speechless: “There is no body here.” And he continued, with a voice that broke: “Nothing remained. It’s an accident that took away even your body for us to say goodbye to.”
Agapi Bounova was one of five women who died horrifically after the powerful explosion at the factory, which—according to investigation findings so far—was caused by a “months-long and extensive” propane gas leak. As it emerges, there were repeated reports from workers about strong gas odors, yet no necessary measures were taken.
Memorial service for the souls of the five women
At the site where the unspeakable tragedy unfolded, at the “Violanta” biscuit factory, a memorial service was held this morning for the souls of the five women who lost their lives, in an atmosphere of deep emotion and silence by the Metropolitan of Trikki, Gardikio and Pylis, Mr. Chrysostomos. The Metropolitan was accompanied by the representative of the Ecumenical Patriarch, Metropolitan of Kydonion Mr. Athinagoras, as well as the representative of the Archbishop of Athens and all Greece Mr. Hieronymos, Metropolitan of Lagkada Mr. Platon.
His Eminence assured that the Church will remain close to the grieving people not only today, but daily, sending a message of hope and faith that no human life is lost and that the God of love receives the souls of the victims, covering with His mercy those who remain behind.
Tomorrow the funeral of the other two workers
Tomorrow, relatives and friends will say their final “goodbye” to the other two women who lost their lives in the fire at the “Violanta” biscuit factory facilities.
Vasiliki Skampardonh-Karagianni will be buried tomorrow, Friday at 2:00 PM at the Saint Dimitrios church in Filyra, Trikala. Also taking place in Trikala is the funeral of Eleni Katsarou at the Saint Constantine and Helen church.
