The trial was adjourned after presiding judge Georgia Stefanidou cited conditions that could cause fainting. Lawyers complained the venue was insultingly unsuitable and potentially violated fire safety regulations, with the hall described as stifling, leading to two lawyers formally complaining to the fire department and demanding an immediate inspection. The venue was a remodelled university lecture hall in Larissa, chosen as one of the two biggest courtrooms in Greece. The hall had seating for over 460 people, and the issue was blamed on a higher-than-expected number of observers. The status of the fire department inspection demanded by lawyers remains unclear, and what specific fire safety regulations were potentially violated has not been detailed.
Thirty-six people face charges, and over 350 witnesses are due to be heard at the trial, which is expected to last several years. The accused include the station master on duty, other railway officials, and two Italian former employees of Ferrovie dello Stato. Thirty-three of the defendants face criminal charges and risk up to life in prison, while none of the accused are currently in jail, although some have served time in pre-trial detention. The exact charges against the 36 accused individuals have not been specified.
Packed like sardines.
The trial is being conducted around 30 kilometres from the spot near Tempi, central Greece, where the collision occurred on 28 February 2023. The collision involved a freight train and a passenger train smashing into each other, leaving 57 dead, with most of the dead being students returning from a carnival weekend. Among those to testify are survivors and family members of the victims, some of whom are believed to have burned to death after surviving the initial collision.
The two trains had run on the same track for more than 10 minutes without triggering an alarm. The collision exposed the parlous state of safety precautions in Greece's railway network, despite EU grants and union warnings.
An absolute disgrace.
Maria Karystianou, a representative from the association of victims' families, said no investigation was carried out into how her daughter burned alive. Why no investigation was carried out into how some victims burned to death, as alleged by Maria Karystianou, remains unanswered.