Explosion and fire at cookie factory in Greece kills 4 workers, 1 missing

An explosion and fire at a cookie factory in central Greece killed at least four workers and left one person unaccounted for, authorities said Monday.

Seven others, including a firefighter, were hospitalized after the blast at the Violanta biscuit plant near the city of Trikala, about 200 miles north of Athens.

The blast occurred during the night shift, and the resulting fire gutted the plant. Fire crews battled the blaze for hours before recovering four bodies - all women - from the destroyed building.

Police said investigators suspect the explosion may have originated near the ovens, which operate around the clock. Six workers and one firefighter were being treated at a hospital in Trikala, none in serious condition.

Arson investigators and emergency crews remained at the scene as authorities worked to determine what caused the explosion.

Television footage showed the gutted remains of the Violanta factory.

"Today, a serious incident occurred at our factory premises during the night shift, due to a cause that remains unknown at this time," the company said in a statement.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said: "A fire department team is already examining the causes of this tragedy so that we know exactly what happened and assign responsibility where it is due."

He told his cabinet the factory was a "modern" one and said the thoughts of the nation were with the families of the victims.

The blaze is one of Greece's most fatal industrial accidents and one of the worst in many years.

In 1992, 15 people died in a refinery explosion in the industrial zone of Elefsina, near the port of Piraeus.

The Violanta plant, the company's first and biggest, produced 12,500 tons of biscuits, cookies and wafers per year, according to the company website.

The brand is among the fastest-growing in Greece, with a major presence in shops, and exports to around 40 countries.