Train Explosion in Greece Deemed ‘Unfortunate Coincidence’

The news in Greek

1. ατύχημα (n.)
   ανεπιθύμητο γεγονός που συμβαίνει συνήθως κατά λάθος ↩︎
2. ηλεκτρικός
   που σχετίζεται με τον ηλεκτρισμό ↩︎
3. έκρηξη (f.)
   ξαφνική εκτόνωση με δύναμη και φλόγα ↩︎
4. προκαλώ
   γίνομαι αιτία για κάτι να συμβεί ↩︎
5. συνεχίζω
   δεν σταματώ και συνεχίζω να κάνω κάτι ↩︎
6. τραγικός
   που έχει τα χαρακτηριστικά της τραγωδίας, συνήθως έντονη λύπη ή θλίψη ↩︎

Translation

Text Comprehension

Question: How many people died in the train accident in Greece?

Question: What caused the explosion and fire in the train accident?

Vocabulary

Greek	English
ατύχημα (n.)	accident
ηλεκτρικός	electrical
έκρηξη (f.)	explosion
προκαλώ	cause
συνεχίζω	continue
τραγικός	tragic

Read the full story

The report, compiled by the Belgian expert Yves Carton, specialises in railway accidents. It cites electrical arcs and a short circuit in the overhead power line, which were in proximity to or directly above the train’s transformer, as the primary causes of the explosion. The report further detailed that additional electrical short circuits in capacitors led to the ignition of the silicone-based cooling fluid in the transformer, subsequently resulting in a fire.

Carton’s findings elaborated that the train’s B2 carriage was completely engulfed in flames because part of it was situated directly above the transforming zone where the fire began. The report highlighted the challenges in controlling such a blaze due to the flammable materials from the carriage’s interior and cooling systems of the air-conditioning units, which sustained the fire’s spread.

The report describes the accident as a “highly unfortunate coincidence,” emphasizing that the short circuit in the overhead line occurred in an inopportune location. Despite scrutinizing the positional data of the overhead conductors and physical footage from cameras and photos, the report acknowledges that the explosion’s massive scale casts doubt on the phenomenon’s exclusion by other experts.

Notably, the investigation by Hellenic Train has faced criticism, particularly from independent experts, such as Kostas Lakafosis, who referred to the report’s conclusions as “well-written fiction.” These experts argue that the explanations given for the causes do not convincingly establish the sequence of events leading to the explosion and fire.

Furthermore, Hellenic Train’s investigation outlines that under the prevailing circumstances, limited structural or technical modifications might have reduced the incident’s severe consequences. It stresses that although current train designs improve crash resilience, they fall short in preventing damage in catastrophic events like this.

As it stands, additional investigations by other national organizations are underway, seeking to reassess the mechanisms leading to the accident’s devastating impact. The results of these ongoing inquiries could potentially challenge or corroborate the current findings, providing broader clarity on one of Greece’s most tragic rail incidents.

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