The first compensation of €800,000 was awarded on Saturday to the family of a victim of the deadly Tempi accident, the controller of the commercial train. The court ordered OSE S.A. and Hellenic Train to jointly pay €200,000 each to the four family members of the controller, along with an additional €12,000 for legal fees. [1], [2].
According to the court ruling, the two companies bear “dual” responsibility for the accident. Although the remote control and signaling systems were not functioning, OSE S.A. allowed train operations to continue, and Hellenic Train allowed passengers to be transported, “exposing both passengers and employees to life and health risks.”
Additionally, the team of experts from the University of Ghent, appointed by the Committee for the Investigation of Air and Rail Accidents (EODASAM) to investigate the cause of the explosion, has released its initial findings. [1], [2].
The Committee for the Investigation of Air and Rail Accidents (EODASAM) assigned the investigation to the University of Ghent and is set to be presented on 27.02.
It is estimated that a 2.5-meter tank caused the fire a 1 in the first car of the commercial train, which contained 3.5 to 4 tons of flammable liquids, likely xylene, and toluene, which are also used in fuel adulteration. The explosions that followed the collision lasted about 8 seconds and created an 80-meter-high “fire mushroom.”
EODASAM is the official body that should have investigated the accident, but in 2023, it existed only “on paper” and was staffed a year later. Therefore, scientists from the University of Ghent are conducting the main part of the investigation, and its findings will be presented on February 27. According to Kathimerini, the investigation is not part of the judicial process, but the victims’ families are expected to submit it to the investigator once it is released.
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