Aspropyrgos fire: workshop owner and tanker renter released on bail after deadly explosion

A large fire and subsequent propane‑tank explosion erupted in the industrial zone of Aspropyrgos, Greece, on 9 July 2026. The blast killed one worker, left two others intubated, and injured eight more with burns and respiratory problems, bringing the total number of victims to eleven.

The workshop’s owner and the renter of the propane‑filled tanker were charged with two felonies (explosion and arson) and two misdemeanours (serious bodily injury and negligence). Both were released on bail with a restrictive condition to appear regularly at their local police station. In their statements they each denied responsibility. The owner said the tanker was left overnight for repair because a needed spare part was unavailable and expressed shock, apologising to the victims’ families. The renter claimed he had informed the owner and the propane company about the tank’s contents and blamed the fire on a leak of other flammable material elsewhere in the workshop.

Fire‑fighting units responded with 47 firefighters, 19 vehicles, two helicopters and additional municipal water‑tankers, while investigators from the anti‑arson police unit examined the cause of the blaze.