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13/05/2025 | 16:38
Marinakis: The opposition’s narrative of a cover-up at Tempi has collapsed – Fireball caused by Tempi collision attributed to silicone oils, NTUA report unveiled
“Today puts an end to the most obscene effort to manipulate public opinion that I can remember…the narrative built by the opposition, en masse, upon a tragic accident,” government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis commented on Tuesday, following the publication of the National Technical University of Athens report concerning the source of the fireball that erupted during the 2023 train crash at Tempi.
Asked about the report released by Professor Dimitris Karonis earlier the same day, Marinakis said this answered questions concerning the flammable material and effectively refuted opposition speculation that the train was carrying illegal flammable cargo. Thus, the “narrative of a cover-up comes crashing down because there if there was no cargo, if there was nothing illegal, what is it that anyone would wish to cover up,” the spokesperson added.
Marinakis noted that the existence of some unknown fuel had been put forward as a possibility but not as a fact in the report by the Hellenic Aviation and Railway Safety Investigation Agency (HARSIA), while it was later proved that this possibility was already under dispute by universities. Main opposition PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis had made haste to adopt this view, instead of waiting for the official expert report commissioned by justice, he pointed out.
“PASOK co-signed the censure motion with all the parties of irrationality, did not wait for the official facts and made accusations of bulldozing and the rest, and thus owes an explanation to the citizens. I say again that Tempi is a national tragedy, that all the causes that led to this tragedy must be investigated in depth, but the narrative of a cover-up and an illegal cargo has been resoundingly proved false and those that promoted it must first of all answer to society,” he added.
NTUA: Fireball caused by Tempi collision attributed to silicone oils
The National Technical University of Athens’ report on what caused the large explosion that followed the violent train collision at Tempi in 2023 was published on Tuesday.
The report was commissioned by the appellate examining magistrate conducting the investigation and assigned to Professor Dimitris Karonis.
Professor Karonis’ expert report – 123 pages in total – is thorough and based on analyses and data from the General State Chemical Laboratory, on-site inspections, material sampling from the accident scene, international scientific data, comparisons, and evaluations.
The report unveiled that engine oils (specifically silicone oils), under the conditions of the accident, could have created a fireball, as the expert considers that this type of oil can ignite at temperatures of 330 ° C and above.
The report was submitted to the appellate investigating judge Sotiris Bakaimis and will be examined. Similar expert reports reaching the same conclusion – albeit using different methodologies – exist in the case file, submitted by technical advisors of the victims’ families and the Fire Service, although there are also reports with contradictory conclusions.
Source: ANA – MPA
