The revelations about the fire at the “Violanta” factory in Trikala seem to compose the palimpsest of a foretold explosion. The holes in the propane tanks, which Vassilis Lambropoulos mentioned on Thursday evening, January 29, are now linked to a document from the Thessaly region dating back to 2020, which highlighted the incorrect positioning of the propane tanks. Additionally, the deputy mayor of Trikala’s statement expressing his belief that the basement was undeclared, and therefore the extensive piping system, reveals negligence and omissions for which the Trikala prosecutor has already ordered an investigation, demanding a thorough analysis of the explosion’s causes down to the bone marrow.
Read: “Violanta”: Government sees attempt to instrumentalize the tragedy – What Pavlos Marinakis said
Questions that need to be answered concern the time period during which propane was leaking from the tanks, as the Fire Department determined days ago that this leak created the foundation for the disaster. Based on information, moreover, a significant amount accumulated in the factory’s basement, which apparently none of the workers detected by smell, resulting in the creation of a gas chamber and its ignition when a water pump created a spark.
“Violanta”: Testimonies of a terror-filled workday
After the shock of the “Violanta” factory destruction, the puzzle of negligence and omissions is incomplete without the testimonies brought to MEGA by “Live News” about workplace accidents and severed fingers. There’s no mention of idyllic working conditions, and as reported, the Fire Department would have conducted its next mandatory inspection in September 2028. While officials from the Arson Crime Unit are conducting thorough checks on underground pipes, hoping excavations will lead them to safe conclusions about corrosion, it’s necessary to also investigate the concrete that allegedly cemented the pipes at basement level, not without friction from trucks and other vehicles.
In this chain of events, a document from the Thessaly region likely becomes indicative of the omissions. The date, 2020, probably leaves no room for misinterpretation. The document notes the incorrect positioning of the two propane tanks, so the conditions that led to the death of five women, as well as the injuries, are enriched in terms of the investigative field. The Thessaly region observed, six years ago (February 17, 2020), that the propane tanks were located at a smaller distance than required from the property boundaries. Thus, the investigation has two dimensions: first, conditions inside the factory and technical causes of the explosion. Second, gaps regarding permits and inspections from previous years, to assign responsibilities. All revelations don’t necessarily mean the company didn’t correct the issues, however this must be clarified.
Undeclared basement
The deputy mayor of Trikala, Georgios Katabutas, said he believes the basement is undeclared, confirming both ERT and MEGA reports. The responsible deputy mayor stated: “The first building permit from 2007, which is the first one issued, I think the owner mentioned that no reference was made to the basement, so it doesn’t exist in the 2007 building permit from Urban Planning. Since then, seven other permits have been issued, meaning 8 permits in total, where I believe the basement has not been declared to this day,” Mr. Katabutas characteristically noted.
