Five female workers killed in explosion at Greek cookie factory

ATHENS, Greece — An explosion and fire at a cookie factory in central Greece killed five female night-shift workers and injured seven others Monday, authorities said.

The blast occurred at the Violanta plant near the city of Trikala, located approximately 320 kilometers north of Athens. The injured victims, including one firefighter, were hospitalized following the incident. Officials stated that none are in critical condition.

The explosion struck during the factory’s night shift, sparking a blaze that gutted the facility. Firefighters battled the flames for several hours before they were able to locate and recover the bodies of the victims.

Investigators suspect the explosion may have originated near industrial ovens that operate 24 hours a day.

Violanta is a prominent Greek brand that exports products to roughly 40 countries. The incident marks one of the deadliest industrial accidents in Greece in years.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.

The explosion at the Violanta production facility represents more than a humanitarian tragedy; it is a significant industrial setback for one of Greece’s fastest-growing enterprises. The loss of the company’s flagship plant—which boasts an annual output of 12,500 tons—is expected to trigger severe disruptions across domestic supply chains and jeopardize delivery contracts spanning 40 international markets.

While the company maintains that the cause remains undetermined, investigators have focused their probe on the facility’s industrial ovens. This suggests a scrutiny of potential lapses in safety protocols or equipment maintenance, particularly as the plant maintained a rigorous 24/7 production cycle. The incident is poised to ignite a national policy debate regarding labor safety standards and the enforcement of industrial regulations across Greece.

The political stakes were underscored when Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis addressed the accident during a Cabinet meeting, signaling that the fallout has reached the highest levels of government. Moving forward, Violanta’s corporate recovery will depend on its crisis management strategy, specifically regarding victim restitution and its timeline for restoring capacity. In the interim, this supply-side shock creates a strategic opening for competitors to capture market share in the global regions Violanta currently serves.