The bodies of three people were found on Monday as firefighters battled a blaze at a food factory near the central Greek city of Trikala, the fire brigade said, revising earlier reports that five people were missing.

Earlier, a fire brigade official told Reuters that 13 people were at the factory when the fire broke out and eight of them had managed to get out of the facility.

Thick black smoke billowed into the sky as around 40 firefighters and 13 trucks tackled the fire engulfing the industrial facility, with flames still visible across the roof of the complex.

The official said the cause of the fire, which broke out in the early morning hours, was not clear. Local media reported that a large explosion was heard before the fire.