A tanker truck carrying 1.5 to 2 tons of propane exploded at a heavy vehicle repair shop in Aspropyrgos, west of Athens, on Thursday, injuring 14 people, four of them seriously, authorities said.
The shop’s owner was arrested under an expedited legal procedure and faces charges including arson and causing an explosion.
Two Romanian nationals employed at the shop were hospitalized in critical condition at the Thriasio Hospital.
Two other people – employees of nearby businesses – were admitted to intensive care units at the Attikon and KAT hospitals.
The incident took place shortly before 8 a.m. at the intersection of Megaridos and Chiou streets, where the shop repairs suspension systems on heavy vehicles. Fire officials said the two Romanian workers were performing hot work, likely oxyacetylene welding, when one lit a cigarette. Investigators believe a leaking acetylene cylinder used in the welding process triggered the blast. Before losing consciousness, one of the injured workers told the first firefighting crew on scene, “I lit a cigarette and the explosion happened.”
