Greece Train Collision Kills 32 and Injures Dozens
Two trains collided in Greece, resulting in the deaths of at least 32 people and the injury of dozens more.
Following the late-night collision near Tempe, approximately 235 miles north of Athens, passengers were left trapped in derailed carriages as a fire broke out.
The collision between a freight train and a passenger train caused at least three carriages to catch fire.
The trains are said to have collided near Evangelismos shortly before midnight on Wednesday.
As rescue workers fought desperately to save those on board, witnesses reported black smoke billowing from the ship.
In the darkness, shocking footage showed the ominous glow of the fire spreading across the wreckage.
A total of 85 people, including children, were reported injured as of 4 a.m. local time (2 a.m. GMT), according to officials from the Fire Service who spoke to the Associated Press.
Approximately 25 of these victims are believed to be in critical condition.
The passenger train traveling from Thessaloniki to Larissa was believed to be carrying more than 350 people, according to reports.
It is believed that the impact of the collision was so severe that it “pulverized” the locomotives of both trains.
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The Thessalian Regional Governor told ERT, “Wagons 1 and 2 do not exist.” Due to the severity of the collision, they were thrown from the aircraft.”
Early Wednesday morning, firefighters battled to extinguish the blaze while searching for survivors.
The armed forces have been enlisted to assist in the rescue operation, as emergency personnel from nearby towns work to free those still trapped in the wreckage.
Vassilis Varthakoyiannis, a spokesman for the Fire Service, stated, “The evacuation process is ongoing and is being carried out under extremely difficult conditions due to the severity of the collision between the two trains.”
The nearby city of Larissa has been placed on emergency duty as locals rally together in the aftermath of the train accident.
According to reports, approximately 30 ambulances transported multiple patients to nearby hospitals.
Larissa’s mayor, Apostolos Kalogiannis, emphasized that investigators are still attempting to determine the cause of the fatal incident.
“It was an extremely violent collision. This night is terrible… “It is difficult to describe the scene,” Costas Agorastos, the regional governor of central Thessaly, said on state television.
Minister of Health of Greece Thanos Pleuris is making his way to the numerous hospitals treating victims.
Giannis Xifaras, secretary general of the Ministry of Transport, will visit the site of the catastrophic collision.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has canceled his plans for tomorrow after learning about the accident.
Additionally, military hospitals in Athens and Thessaloniki have been placed on high alert in case they need to treat additional casualties.
Hellenic Train issued the following statement: “In Evangelismos, there was a head-on collision between two trains: a freight train and the Athens-to-Thessaloniki-bound IC 62 train.
Firefighters and Hellenic Train employees rushed to the scene to assist with rescue operations and aid passengers.
