At least 32 dead, dozens injured after high speed trains collide in Greece

A passenger train carrying hundreds of people collided at high speed with an oncoming freight train in a fiery wreck in northern Greece killing 32 and injuring at least 85 officials said WednesdayMultiple cars derailed and at least three burst into flames after the collision near the town of Tempe on Tuesday just before midnight Rescue crews illuminated the scene with floodlights before dawn on Wednesday as they searched frantically through the twisted smoking wreckage for survivorsSurvivors said several passengers were thrown through the windows of the train cars due to the impact They said others fought to free themselves after the passenger train buckled slamming into a field next to the tracks near a gorge about 380 kilometres 235 miles north of Athens where major highway and rail tunnels are locatedThere were many big pieces of steel said Vassilis Polyzos a local resident who was one of the first people on the scene The trains were completely destroyed both passenger and freight trainsHe said dazed and disoriented people were escaping out of the trains rear cars as he arrivedPeople naturally were scared very scared he said They were looking around searching they didnt know where they wereAlso readBombay HC says new born means fullterm amp preterm baby directs insurance firm to pay medical expenses to mother of twinsThe trains crashed just before the Vale of Tempe a gorge that separates the regions of Thessaly and Macedonia Costas Agorastos the regional governor of the Thessaly area told Greeces Skai television the two trains crashed head on at high speedCarriage one and two no longer exist and the third has derailed he saidRescuers wearing head lamps worked in thick smoke pulling pieces of mangled metal from the cars to search for trapped people Others scoured the field with flashlights and checked underneath the wreckage Several of the dead are believed to have been found in the restaurant area near the front of the passenger trainHospital officials in the nearby city of Larissa said at least 25 of those hurt had serious injuriesThe evacuation process is ongoing and is being carried out under very difficult conditions due to the severity of the collision between the two trains said Vassilis Varthakoyiannis a spokesperson for Greeces firefighting serviceThe possible cause of the collision was not immediately clear Two rail officials were being questioned by police but had not been detainedPassengers who received minor injuries or were unharmed were transported by bus to Thessaloniki 130 kilometres 80 miles to the north Police took their names as they arrived in an effort to track anyone who may be missingA teenage survivor who did not give his name told reporters that just before the crash he felt a strong braking and saw sparks and then there was a sudden stopOur carriage didnt derail but the ones in front did and were smashed he said visibly shakenHe added that the first car caught fire and that he used a bag to break the window of his car the fourth and escapeRail operator Hellenic Train said the northbound passenger train from Athens to Thessaloniki Greeces secondlargest city had about 350 passengers on boardAgorastos described the collision on state television as very powerful and said it was a terrible nightThe front section of the train was smashed Were getting cranes to come in and special lifting equipment clear the debris and lift the rail cars Theres debris flung all around the crash siteOfficials said the army had been contacted to assistHellenic Train which has added highspeed services in recent years is operated by Italys FS Group which runs rail services in several European countriesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever