Motor Oil refinery blast injures two contractor workers at Agioi Theodoroi
A new explosion at the Motor Oil refinery in Agioi Theodoroi on Thursday afternoon, 15 October, injured two contractor workers. It came days after a blast on Friday, 9 October, killed two workers, and four people have been arrested over that earlier incident.
The new explosion
A new explosion went off on Thursday afternoon, 15 October, at the Motor Oil refinery in Agioi Theodoroi near Corinth, injuring two contractor workers. According to the company, the incident happened during preventive maintenance on a unit that was out of operation. Motor Oil said the first assessment points to a release of steam, and that the exact causes and conditions are being examined together with the authorities. Company sources said no fire broke out and that first aid was given on site before the workers were taken to hospital. The company's statement reads as follows.
Today, during preventive maintenance on a unit that is out of operation, an incident occurred with two injured contractor workers, who were rushed to the Corinth hospital with fractures.
Condition of the injured
The two contractor workers, aged 40 and 59, suffered wounds and burns, and the condition of one of them is described as more serious. One has burns to the face, while the other has fractures to the legs. Both were taken by company ambulances to Corinth hospital, where they are undergoing a series of medical tests. Once the tests are complete and their condition stabilises, they are to be transferred to the Thriasio hospital, which is on duty. Emergency ambulances from the national service EKAB were dispatched to the site, and police were called in after EKAB alerted them, according to NEWS 24/7.
The earlier blast on 9 October
Police arrested four people over the earlier explosion on Friday, 9 October, at the same site, which killed two men aged 43 and 51. Those arrested include a 36-year-old man working as foreman, a 50-year-old man who heads the health and safety department, a 34-year-old man operating machinery and a 59-year-old external contractor. A case file was opened against them for causing an explosion and causing common-danger damage. A 67-year-old man is also being sought for the same offences, according to police sources cited by NEWS 24/7. NEWS 24/7 reported that the blast injured five people, two of them seriously and three lightly, during work on an outdoor reactor unit where a release and explosion occurred at a cap.
- Explosion during preventive maintenance kills two contractor workers
- Motor Oil employees strike with backing from sector unions
- Second explosion injures two contractor workers during maintenance on a unit out of operation
- Date until which maintenance and shutdown work at the refinery is suspended
The timeline above traces the sequence from the first blast to the date until which maintenance work is suspended.
Investigation and political reaction
The Labour Inspectorate has sent a team to the site to establish whether safety rules were followed during the work, as it did after the earlier blast. Motor Oil has suspended preventive maintenance and shutdown work at the refinery until Monday, 19 October. Workers at the company, backed by sector unions, held a strike on Wednesday, 14 October, before the latest incident. SYRIZA said contractor workers at the plant risk being treated as disposable, and called on the authorities to use their inspection and enforcement powers fully. The party also demanded that those responsible be punished for breaching health and safety rules.
The competent Ministry of Labour must take responsibility and take all necessary measures.
The causes of the latest blast remain under examination together with the authorities.