Viomalt Families to Appeal Factory Owner’s Release as Court Explains Decision

The families of the five women killed in the Viomalt factory explosion are preparing to challenge the release of the company’s owner, Konstantinos Tziortziotis. Their lawyer, Christos Patounas, is expected to file the appeal in Larissa on Wednesday, September 2, together with relatives of the victims.

Tziortziotis left prison under restrictive conditions after being accused over the fatal explosion at the company’s main production plant in Trikala on January 26. He is prohibited from leaving Greece and must report regularly to his local police station. After the filing, the families and their lawyer are expected to brief journalists informally on the latest developments.

The Trikala Council of Misdemeanors said the evidence included “serious indications of guilt” regarding the felony charge of an explosion that killed many people and could have created a broader danger to property and human life. Yet the council concluded that keeping him in pretrial detention was not necessary or required.

The ruling pointed to his known and stable residence in Greece, his family and professional ties to Trikala, and the absence of an apparent flight plan. He lives in the city with his wife and four children, three of them adults and the youngest eight. The council also found no risk that he would commit new offenses, including through reopening the business.

Tziortziotis had been jailed in February after a lengthy statement to investigators. He reportedly placed responsibility on scientists who approved the facility’s permits and said he learned about the odor issue only after a long delay.

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serious indications of guilt