Attempt to lift the crushed carriages to locate those trapped – 53 injured remain in the hospitals, many in serious condition – Larissa station master and a representative of the company that owns the trains were called in – Estimates of a domino of mistakes that led to the fatal tragedy
The death toll from the collision of the two trains in Tempe reached 32. as informed shortly before 6.30 in the morning by the representative of the Fire Department. Out of the 85 injured, 53 remain in the hospitals. The passengers who are in good health were taken by buses to Thessaloniki, which was also the destination of the train that had started at around 7.30 pm on Tuesday from Athens.
The two trains, one commercial and one passenger, collided violently shortly before midnight, at the height of Evangelismos. According to the estimates so far, the fatal tragedy happened when the two trains were on the same line and collided head-on. Already in the early morning, the station master of Larissa and a representative of the Hellenic Train company were brought in and questioned.
At this time, four crane-carrying vehicles are trying to lift a wagon that has crushed two other wagons, in which people are believed to be trapped.
60 injured are being treated in Larissa hospitals, 25 of which are serious. Also, five persons with minor injuries arrived by car at the Katerini General Hospital, five at Gennimatas Thessaloniki and 15 at ACHEPA. Children are among the injured. The two trains were carrying 350 passengers and 20 staff.
Due to the severity of the collision debris from both trains had been thrown a great distance.
The collision caused a fire, which was extinguished by the fire brigade. 15 vehicles, three EMAK teams (Larissa, Lamia, Thessaloniki) and 2 EMODE teams (Special Forest Operations Units) are operating at the site. The mobile operations center Olympus also arrives at the scene of the collision.
The passenger train, three carriages of which have derailed, was allegedly running the route Thessaloniki – Larissa, and departed at 19:22 in the afternoon.
“Windows were breaking and people were screaming … 2/3 (of the train) was full … We didn’t see anything, the train just started to jerk more and more until we ended up at a 45 degree angle … The train in front of us was on fire the whole had five wounded just where I was… The front wagons were completely destroyed… Only burnt iron” said a witness to SKAI, among others.
The Larissa University Hospital is on call and the Larissa General Hospital and the Katerinis Hospital are opened on an emergency basis. Health Minister Thanos Pleuris is currently on his way to the hospitals. And the Secretary General of Transport Giannis Xifaras is heading to the scene of the collision.
At 11.24 a passenger of the passenger train, who had been released, called 112 and reported the severe collision.
Minister Christos Stylianidis and Deputy Minister Vangelis Tournas, Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister Yiannis Bratakos, the chief and the leadership of the Fire Brigade have been at the Civil Protection Operations Center since midnight. Minister Takis Theodorikakos, leader Kostas Skoumas and staff at the ELAS Operations Center. The Prime Minister is constantly informed. Due to the extraordinary events in Larissa, today’s visit of Mr. Mitsotakis to Thessaloniki is postponed.
The 1st Army and the units of the Thessaly Region are activated and put on alert protocol as foreseen in case of such major accidents. Military hospitals in Athens and Thessaloniki are on standby if they need to receive wounded.
Early estimates point to human error with the two trains running on the same track, however there is also the possibility that one train derailed and crashed into the other on the other track.
A fire extinguishing operation and rescue of people from a train near the Evangelismos area of Larisa is underway. They operate 40 firefighters with 17 vehicles.
— Fire Department (@pyrosvestiki) February 28, 2023
Source: Skai
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