More than 30 people were killed and 85 others injured in a serious train accident in Greece. According to the fire brigade, the number of victims could still increase because there were still people in the wreckage of the train on Wednesday morning. In the accident, a passenger train derailed late Tuesday evening on the route between the capital Athens and the port city of Thessaloniki after colliding with a freight train.
The accident happened just before midnight near the city of Larisa in the center of the country. According to the fire brigade, three cars of the passenger train, in which about 350 people were sitting, derailed. “At least 32 people have been found dead so far,” said a fire department spokesman at a press conference on Wednesday morning. “85 people were injured and taken to hospitals.” Most of the inmates were saved.
“I’ve never seen anything like it in my life,” said a member of the emergency services, who came out of a wrecked wagon, completely exhausted. “It’s so tragic.” An AFP reporter reported that one of the carriages was completely crushed, with rescuers barely able to get inside. Other wagons were partially destroyed, flames raged and smoke lay over the site.
“At the moment of the accident, the windows suddenly exploded,” reported a passenger on television. “Fortunately we were able to open the door and escape quickly. People couldn’t do it in other cars,” he said. “And one wagon even caught fire.” Another train passenger was shocked: “I’m not injured, but I have bloodstains from other people who were injured next to me.”
Greek media spoke of the “worst train accident in the history of the country”. 150 emergency services participated in the rescue work, 40 ambulances were deployed. Cranes were also sent to the scene of the accident.
