At least 36 people were killed and at least 85 others were injured when a passenger train and a freight train collided in Greece early Wednesday. Fire department officials gave this information. Multiple carriages of two trains derailed and at least three caught fire after a collision late Tuesday near Tempe, about 380 km north of Athens. Before dawn on Wednesday, rescue workers began searching for survivors by floodlights. Greek officials have called it the deadliest train accident ever. At present its investigation is going on.
the local people also helped
A local person who reached the spot after the accident said, ‘There were pieces of steel scattered. Both the trains were badly damaged. He said that as soon as he reached the spot, panicked people were coming out of the train coaches. Hospital officials in the nearby city of Larissa said at least 25 people were seriously injured. Fire department spokesman Vassilis Varthkoyanis said the collision between the two trains was serious, the carriages were badly damaged and evacuation work was ongoing in difficult conditions.
The cause of the collision could not be immediately ascertained. Police is questioning two railway officials, but no one has been detained so far. Officials said the army has also been approached for additional help. According to rail operator Hellenic Trains, there were about 350 passengers on board the train from Athens to Thessaloniki at the time of the accident.
Passengers told what happened to them?
10 to 15 seconds were of complete chaos and unrest. Windows were broken, wires were hanging, people were screaming and trapped in the fire. Some people were trying to get out by breaking the window. A passenger told that when the windows were being broken, there was a sudden explosion in one of the windows. But these people were lucky that their lives were saved and they were taken out immediately.