Explosion injures three at Larissa vehicle workshop, blaze put out

An explosion tore through a gas-conversion vehicle workshop on Volou street in Larissa, central Greece, shortly after 11am on Monday, injuring three people with burns, authorities said, according to Kathimerini English and ERT News. The blast set the building alight and was felt across the surrounding area, sending a column of thick black smoke over the city. The explosion was believed to have been caused by cylinders containing flammable gas, Kathimerini English reported, citing authorities.

The Fire Service said it was alerted at about 11.20am and mobilised 17 firefighters with six vehicles, who brought the blaze under control. The three injured were taken to hospital before firefighters arrived, with their condition not described as serious. Investigators from Larissa's fire service arson unit were sent to establish the exact cause, which remained under investigation on Monday.

The blast caused extensive damage to the workshop itself, ERT News reported, and the account of three people hospitalised was echoed by Proto Thema, News247 and Naftemporiki, among other Greek outlets that covered the incident on Monday.

"There was a deafening noise, an explosion, a shockwave," said Vasilis Maramas, who was in the area at the time, according to in.gr. He said everyone at the scene escaped with light burns despite extensive material damage, and declined to speculate on what caused the blast, saying that was a matter for fire investigators.

Three people were inside the workshop when the explosion happened, in.gr reported, citing initial information. People working in nearby businesses rushed outside when they heard the blast, a second witness told the news site, adding that those caught up in the explosion were, as far as he knew, not seriously hurt.

Witnesses suggested the blast may have involved flammable gas or work under way in the workshop at the time, in.gr reported, though this had not been officially confirmed beyond the Fire Service's initial assessment. The exact cause remains under investigation by Larissa's fire service.