Explosion and fire at Chania boat workshop leaves 70-year-old owner critically burned

The explosion

A ground-floor workshop on Sofokli Venizelou Street in the Livadia area of Chania, Crete, was rocked by an explosion on the afternoon of Thursday, 23 July 2026. The business specialised in polyester boat construction and repair, also manufacturing lifeboats and offering ship inspection services. The blast was followed by a fire that engulfed the building, and witnesses described multiple secondary explosions that heightened the danger.

We heard a very loud bang and immediately saw flames. We ran to help.

The Fire Service operations centre was alerted at around 18:30 and dispatched ground forces to the scene. Before their arrival, however, local residents had already taken action.

Rescue by neighbours

Neighbours broke a window to reach the trapped man inside the burning building. They managed to pull him out, and an ambulance from the National Centre for Emergency Care (EKAV) transported him to Chania Hospital. According to witness accounts, the owner had been working inside when the explosion occurred. Moments earlier, bystanders had urged him not to go back into the building.

We were shouting at him not to go inside, but he went in and a little later we pulled him out in that condition.

The man, the owner of the business, is over 70 years old and suffered extensive burns across almost his entire body.

Victim's condition

Hospital director George Beas confirmed that the patient was intubated and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit in critical condition. He is fighting for his life, with burns described as very serious. No further update on his health was immediately available.

Fire service and investigation

Fifteen firefighters with five vehicles operated at the scene to extinguish the blaze and secure the area. The Chania Arson Investigation Unit was activated to examine the cause of the fire. As of Thursday evening, the exact circumstances that triggered the explosion remained unknown, and authorities were conducting a full inquiry.

The workshop, located near the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania (MAICH), was a single-storey structure. The fire caused significant damage, but no other injuries were reported.