Greece Train Crash Kills 32, Leaves 85 Injured
A total of 32 persons lost their lives while 85 others sustained injuries after two trains collided near the Greek city of Larissa, authorities said, as emergency services raced Wednesday to find survivors among the charred wreckage.
“I’ve never seen anything like this in my entire life,” said one rescue worker, emerging from the wreckage. “It’s tragic. Five hours later, we are finding bodies.”
Smoke and flames emerged from several cars, some of which had overturned when they came off the tracks in the impact, leaving a tangled mess of metal and shattered glass.
The passenger train, carrying 350 passengers, had been traveling from the capital of Athens to the northern city of Thessaloniki.
Greek media made it known that it had been carrying many students returning to Thessaloniki after a long holiday weekend.
“It was a nightmare… I’m still shaking,” 22-year-old passenger Angelos disclosed this in an interview.
“Fortunately we were in the penultimate car and we got out alive. There was a fire in the first cars and complete panic.”
“The collision was like a huge earthquake.”
Some 150 firefighters and 40 ambulances were mobilized for the response, according to Greek emergency services.
“The operation to free trapped people is underway and is taking place in difficult conditions, due to the seriousness of the collision between the two trains,” spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis told reporters.
