Rome, Dec 11 (IANS): The death toll from a massive explosion at a fuel depot in central Italy rose to five after the body of the last missing worker was found, Italian authorities confirmed.

The incident occurred Monday morning at a facility operated by ENI, Italy's largest energy company, in Calenzano near Florence in the Tuscany region. The blast, which reverberated across surrounding areas, caused panic among residents who initially feared it was an earthquake or bomb, Xinhua news agency reported.

Initially, two deaths and at least 14 injuries were reported. A search and rescue operation was launched for three missing workers, two of whom were found dead within hours. As of Tuesday, three hospitalised individuals remained in serious condition, according to the office of Tuscany's regional governor, Eugenio Giani.

The Calenzano depot spans some 170,300 square metres and stores petrol, diesel, and kerosene for distribution. The explosion occurred in the section where tank trucks were loaded.

Prosecutors in nearby Prato have opened an investigation into multiple manslaughter. Meanwhile, the Tuscany regional government has declared a day of mourning for Wednesday.

In response to the tragedy, workers and trade unions demanded improved workplace safety. Around 500 workers held a sit-in outside ENI's refinery in Livorno on Tuesday, as reported by Ansa news agency. The General Confederation of Labour, Confederation of Workers' Union, and Labour Union announced a two-hour strike across the province on Wednesday.

Workplace safety remains a critical issue in Italy. According to data from the national insurance agency INAIL, some 776 deadly incidents and 433,002 injuries were reported between January and September this year. Throughout 2023, it recorded 1,147 deaths and nearly 600,000 injuries.