Dozens of people have been killed after two trains collided in northern Greece. Scores more were injured when a passenger train hit an oncoming freight train early on Wednesday.
At least 26 people have died and 85 were injured, according to fire service officials, after multiple train cars derailed and at least three caught on fire following the crash near Tempe, some 235 miles north of Athens. Hospital officials in the nearby city of Larissa said at least 25 people had serious injuries.
Rail operator Hellenic Train said the passenger train from Athens to the northern city of Thessaloniki had about 350 passengers on board when the collision occurred. Fire Service spokesman Vassilis Varthakoyiannis said the evacuation process has begun and is being carried out "under very difficult conditions" because of the severity of the collision.
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Rescuers wearing head lamps worked in thick smoke, pulling pieces of mangled sheet metal from the crashed rail cars to search for trapped people. Government officials said the army has been contacted to assist in the rescue.
Speaking to state-run television, Costas Agorastos, the regional governor of the central Thessaly area, said: “It was a very powerful collision. This is a terrible night… It’s hard to describe the scene
“The front section of the train was smashed… We’re getting cranes to come in and special lifting equipment to clear the debris and lift the rail cars. There’s debris flung all around the crash site.”
Passengers who received minor injuries or were unharmed were transported by bus to Thessaloniki, 80 miles north of the incident. It is not yet known what caused the collision.
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