At least 36 people have died and dozens have been hospitalized after a train crash in Greece. More deaths are feared, according to state broadcaster ERT.
A passenger train collided with a freight train near the village of Tempe near the city of Larissa in the Thessaly region on Wednesday night. The two trains ran towards each other on the same track between Thessaloniki and Larissa, Konstantinos Agorastos, governor of Thessaly, told SKAI TV.
The Greek government ordered three days of state mourning. The Railway Employees Union said it was the worst train accident in the country’s history.
Is human error responsible for accidents?
Initial assumptions about the cause of the accident pointed to human error. According to media reports, the electronic control system is not working on this track – it has been said to have problems for a long time. Therefore, the respective station masters were responsible for dispatching the trains properly. The passenger train may have been sent on the wrong track from Larissa railway station – on which the freight train later met. State television reported that the railway boss responsible for the division had already been arrested. Other railway employees and technicians will be interrogated.
Cars derailed and burst into flames
In the collision, four wagons derailed, at least two of which caught fire. According to the fire department, there were about 350 people in the car, many of whom suffered burns and some were caught in the fire. It is said that many of the dead can only be identified through DNA testing.
“There was panic in the wagon, people were screaming,” a young man recounted the accident. Another passenger, Angelos Chiamoras, said: “It was like an earthquake. Emergency services spoke of the horror they had at the scene. Images published on local news sites showed heavy flames and thick smoke billowing from the train carriages.
“Wagon One and Two are no more”
A teenager who survived the crash told reporters that shortly before the crash, she felt heavy braking and saw sparks flying. Then the train stopped suddenly. “Our wagon didn’t derail, but the ones in front – they were crushed,” said the shocked youth. Governor Agorastos told state television that the front of the train had been smashed, adding that “cars one and two were no longer there,” adding, “It was a terrible night…the scene is hard to describe.”
Rescue mission in difficult situation
Fire brigade spokesman Vassilis Tradegiannis told local television early Wednesday: “The evacuation of passengers is taking place in very difficult conditions as the collision between the two trains was very serious.”
“Most of the injured have head injuries, broken hips, arms and legs. Unfortunately, many people are still trapped in the rubble,” a rescue team member told reporters at the scene. The seriously injured train passengers were taken to nearby hospitals, while others with minor injuries were first taken to buses.
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