New, critical revelations are coming to light about the fatal explosion at the Violanta factory in Trikala, which cost the lives of workers and shocked the entire nation. The investigation now focuses on warning signs, employee testimonies, and documentary evidence showing serious negligence.
Violanta: Urban planning documents reveal “invisible” basement
According to official urban planning documents, based on Open TV reporting, the basement where propane allegedly accumulated was undeclared. In a revealing 2018 document regarding construction approval for building extension, the field where basement existence should be declared remains empty. In other words, the building permit shows no reference to underground space, despite the fact that – according to the Fire Department – mechanical equipment existed in that specific area.
Meanwhile, excavations are expected to begin Monday to locate the exact point of propane leakage. Simultaneously, complaints from former employees are multiplying, while the company in its announcements speaks of “rumors and unfounded interpretations,” requesting respect for the victims’ memory.
Violanta: Who had inspection authority
According to Mega’s reporting, the services responsible for inspecting the factory’s construction, operation, and extensions are:
- Urban Planning: for building legality (building permits, extensions, use changes)
- Region: for operation (operating license, piping)
- Fire Department: for fire safety (fire safety certificate, emergency exits, fire detection)
- Labor Inspection: for working conditions
- EFET: for health issues
Both Urban Planning – through building permits or extensions – and the Region through operating licenses were responsible for knowing about the basement’s existence.
According to ERT, the Region had already warned since 2020 about distance violations and safety deficiencies in propane tanks.
In his statements, Fire Brigade officers’ president Kostas Tsingas mentioned that fire trucks rushed immediately to the scene and that extinguishing and securing operations continue today, with the main goal of not altering critical findings due to gas presence and risk of re-ignition.
The dialogue before the explosion
As SKAI revealed, in the early morning hours of January 26, approximately three hours before the fatal explosion, a dialogue was recorded between an employee and shift supervisor, captured in audio documentation. At 12:30 after midnight, the employee is heard saying: “Do you smell something? A strange odor like gas?”
The shift supervisor’s response, who has already testified to the Fire Department’s Arson Crime Unit, was: “I don’t know, probably fumes from the dishwasher…”
At the same time, employee testimonies taken during the investigation mention repeated gas odors in the factory area. Characteristically, one employee reported: “During the months I worked at this specific post, I noticed the smell about ten times in the dishwashing-kitchen area. Other colleagues knew about this incident too, and it was heard from the production manager’s mouth that the gas smell was due to dishwasher short-circuiting in the dishwashing area.”
Saturated subsoil – piping under scrutiny
Evidence so far shows the subsoil, where propane pipes ran through, remains saturated. Liquefied gas, when in the ground, is in liquid form, but upon contact with atmosphere it solidifies, requiring gradual irrigation and continuous monitoring.
Investigations have focused on propane piping damage, through which gas leaked from two tanks. Initially, the possibility that asphalting work and heavy vehicle traffic caused the damage was examined, but this scenario appears to be ruled out.
According to evidence that has come to light so far, four holes were found in the piping, while propane allegedly saturated the subsoil for dozens of meters. Soil samples have been sent to the State General Chemistry Laboratory to determine the amount of leaked gas.
The underground space, which appears in no building permit – neither the original 2007 nor the seven subsequent ones – seems to have played a decisive role in the tragedy’s development. Propane, heavier than air, accumulated in lower layers, creating an explosive mixture that allegedly ignited from a spark source.
Dual investigation direction
The Arson Crime Unit has received an expanded prosecutorial order for preliminary examination. The investigation moves on two axes:
- the technical aspect, concerning the causes of piping perforation and long-term propane leakage,
- and investigating the actions of all competent services that approved or inspected the business operation.
Within this framework, a team will remove propane piping from tanks to the production area for laboratory examination.
