The Deadly Train Crash in Greece Kills at Least 38 People

VIVA – A passenger train and an oncoming freight train collided in a deadly crash in northern Greece on early Wednesday morning, March 1, 2023. This train crash has killed at least 38 people and injured some people.

Several train carriages derailed and at least three caught fire after the collision near Tempe, about 380 kilometers (235 miles) north of Athens.

“The evacuation process is ongoing and is being carried out in very difficult conditions due to the severity of the collision between the two trains,” Fire Service spokesman Vassilis Varthakoyiannis said as reported from the ABC news site.

Furthermore, hospital units used to treat burn victims have been alerted in the area and dozens of ambulances are involved in rescue efforts. Rescuers worked in thick smoke, pulling pieces of shattered metal from rail cars in search of trapped people.

Police recorded their names as they arrived to trace anyone who might be missing. A teenage survivor who did not give his name told Greek reporters as he got off one of the buses that shortly before the accident, he felt strong braking and saw sparks and then a sudden stop.

"Our carriage didn't derail, but the one in front derailed and was crushed," he said.

He added that the first carriage caught fire and he used a bag to break the window of his carriage, the fourth and escaped. In comments on state television, Costas Agorastos, governor of the Thessaly region, described the collision as "very strong" and said it was a "terrible night". Government officials said the army had been contacted to help with the rescue.

Moreover, Kostas A. Karamanlis, the Greek transport minister, announced hours after the crash that he would resign, saying in a statement that “when something so tragic happens, it’s impossible to continue as if nothing had happened.”

“It’s a fact that we inherited the Greek railway in a state that is not fitting for the 21st century. In those three and a half years we made every effort to improve this reality. Unfortunately, those efforts were not adequate to avert such a tragedy.” He added as reported from the NYtimes site.

As information, the fire service said that there had been two people on the freight train and 342 passengers and 10 railway staff members on the passenger train. Many of the passengers were college students and other young people.