Greece train crash caused a catastrophic accident: a large number of dead PHOTO/VIDEO

Greece train crash caused a catastrophic accident: a large number of dead PHOTO/VIDEO

At least 32 people have been killed and 85 injured after two trains collided near the town of Tempe in central Greece, the fire brigade said.

The two trains – a passenger train travelling from Athens to the northern city of Thessaloniki, and a cargo train from Thessaloniki to Larissa, collided head-on outside the central Greek city, Konstantinos Agorastos, the governor of the Thessaly region, told local media.

“The collision was very strong,” he said, adding that the first four carriages had derailed, while the first two were “almost completely destroyed”.

He said the two trains were racing towards each other on the same track.

"They were traveling at high speed and one driver did not know the other was coming," the governor said.

About 250 passengers were evacuated safely to Thessaloniki on buses.

Multiple cars derailed and at least three burst into flame after the collision about 380 kilometers north of Athens. Hospital officials in the nearby city of Larissa said at least 25 people had serious injuries. “There was panic in the carriage, people were screaming,” a young man who was evacuated to a nearby bridge told SKAI TV.

“We just heard a bang… the (train) car started spinning, before ending up sideways when we managed to exit,” another passenger told ERT, Greece’s public broadcaster. Rail operator Hellenic Train said the northbound passenger train from Athens to Thessaloniki had about 350 passengers on board when the collision occurred.

Details of the accident: "People were shouting, crying out"

Passengers traveling in a collision between two trains in Greece have described the details of the horror they went through in this serious train accident.

"I thought I was going to die," said one of the passengers.

As he described, he first felt a jolt and then saw the front two carriages heading towards him.

"People were shouting, crying. Fortunately, the back door opened up and we all got out," said another survivor.

Among those who survived this serious accident was a young woman who, after deciding to change the carriage, escaped death. Her seat was in the second carriage, but at the last moment she decided to move to the sixth carriage.