Passengers who received minor injuries or were unharmed were transported by bus to Thessaloniki, 130 kilometers to the north. Police took their names as they arrived, in an effort to track anyone who may be missing.
A teenage survivor who did not give his name told Greek reporters as he got off one of the buses that just before the crash, he felt a strong braking and saw sparks and then there was a sudden stop.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.
Rail operator Hellenic Train said the northbound passenger train from Athens to Thessaloniki, Greece's second-largest city, had about 350 passengers on board. In comments to state television, Costas Agorastos, the regional governor of the Thessaly area, described the collision as “very powerful" and said it was “a terrible night.”
“The front section of the train was smashed. ... We’re getting cranes to come in and special lifting equipment clear the debris and lift the rail cars. There's debris flung all around the crash site."Hellenic Train is operated by Italy's FS Group, which runs rail services in several European countries.