Fiery prepare crash in Greece kills 16, hurts at the very least 85

Hospital officers within the close by metropolis of Larissa stated at the very least 25 folks had critical accidents.

“The evacuation course of is ongoing and is being carried out beneath very troublesome situations because of the severity of the collision between the 2 trains,” Hearth Service spokesman Vassilis Varthakoyiannis stated.

Hospital items used to deal with burn victims had been alerted within the space, he stated, including that dozens of ambulances had been concerned within the rescue effort.

Rescuers sporting head lamps labored in thick smoke, pulling items of mangled sheet steel from the crashed rail automobiles to seek for trapped folks.

“It was a really highly effective collision. This can be a horrible evening… It’s exhausting to explain the scene,” Costas Agorastos, the regional governor of the central Thessaly space, advised state-run tv.

“The entrance part of the prepare was smashed … We’re getting cranes to come back in and particular lifting tools clear the particles and carry the rail automobiles. There’s particles flung throughout the crash web site.”

Authorities officers stated the military has been contacted to help within the rescue.

Rail operator Hellenic Prepare stated the northbound passenger prepare from Athens to the northern metropolis of Thessaloniki had about 350 passengers on board when the collision occurred. Passengers who acquired minor accidents or had been unhurt had been transported by bus to Thessaloniki, 130 kilometers (80 miles) north of the incident.

Gatopoulos reported from Athens.