Authorities have arrested two people over Thursday’s explosion and fire at a vehicle repair facility in Aspropyrgos, west of Athens, that left eleven people hospitalized, including three in serious condition.
The owner of the business and the operator of a propane tanker truck that exploded on the premises were taken into custody and face charges of causing a fire and explosion with possible malice aforethought.
Initial reports suggested the tanker may have contained only propane residues. However, investigators now believe it may have been carrying about two tons of the fuel when it was brought to the workshop for suspension repairs. Officials from Greece’s Special Crimes Division said evidence collected at the scene is consistent with an explosion involving such a quantity of fuel.
The investigation is also examining the circumstances of the initial blaze that subsequently caused the tanker to explode. A Romanian worker told firefighters that he and a colleague were performing welding work on the tanker when he lit a cigarette, triggering an explosion. Both are intubated in hospital.
