At least 26 people were killed and 85 injured after a passenger train in Greece collided with an oncoming freight train on Wednesday.
Officials said the incident took place near Tempe, a small town next to a valley where major highway and rail tunnels are located, around 380km (235 miles) north of Athens.
While the circumstances of the crash remain unclear, multiple cars derailed and at least three burst into flames due to the collision.
According to hospital authorities in the nearby city of Larissa, at least 25 people had serious injuries.
“The evacuation process is ongoing and is being carried out under very difficult conditions due to the severity of the collision between the two trains,” Vassilis Varthakoyiannis, a spokesperson for Greece’s firefighting service was quoted as saying to Associated Press.
Dozens of ambulances have been alerted in the area as rescue efforts have continued through thick plumes of smoke to rescue any survivors from the wreckage.
Survivors said that the collision felt like an earthquake.
Due to the impact, several passengers were thrown through the windows of the train.
“Our carriage didn’t derail, but the ones in front did and were smashed,” said a teenage survivor who did not give his name.
He added that the first car caught fire and that he used a bag to break the window of his car, the fourth, and escape.
Costas Agorastos, the regional governor of the Thessaly area, said the collision was “very powerful” and added that it was “a terrible night.”
“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.”
According to rail operator Hellenic Train the passenger train from Athens to Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city, had about 350 passengers on board.
Hellenic Train is operated by Italy’s FS Group, which runs rail services in several European countries.
Additional reporting by agencies
