Justice is spreading the net of its investigations into the responsibilities for the fatal accident train accident at Tempe which led to the death of 57 people. On the other hand, today (7.3.2023) the conclusion of the EDE on the sick leave given to the head station master of Larissa is also expected.
The investigation of the responsibilities has been undertaken by a special Appellate investigatorwho is looking for them criminal responsibilities of all involved in the fatal train accident in Tempi, including those responsible and the service agents, the Hellenic Railways Organization, and its subsidiaries, as well as the responsibilities concerning the stationmaster of Larissa.
Alongside the Financial Prosecutor’s Office begins an investigation into the… famous security projects that were never implemented in the Greek railways. The Financial Prosecutor’s Office will review all contracts that were made over time, will investigate the amounts given and will judge whether or not the projects in question were implemented according to the schedules.
Except for Justice the committee of experts also conducts its own investigation which the Government did for the assessment from an administrative and technical point of view of the systemic errors in the railway sector. The committee’s finding will then be forwarded to the Judiciaryso that this also becomes part of the case file, as mentioned by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
On Thursday (9.3.2023) the issue of the tragedy in Tempe will also concern the Institutions and Transparency Committee of the Parliament.
The stationmaster and the shifts
Along with all this, the investigative work continues. The 59-year-old fatal stationmaster of Larissa, who is the central figure in the tragedy in Tempi already remanded in custody. Yesterday (6.3.3023) passed by the office of the interrogator and second station master, who was called as a witness. The other station masters, as well as the other staff of the Larissa Railway Station, will be called as witnesses.
The 59-year-old station master of Larissa has testified that he was alone on the shift when the fatal train accident occurred in Tempi, while according to the schedule for the shifts he had to be with two others at the station hall by 11:00 p.m. As to whether he changed the famous 118 switch so that the passenger train would come on the normal track and not go upside down as it did in the fatal collision, he said that can’t remember if he put it back in place or not.
The role of the inspector and sick leave
In the microscope of the investigations it is also the sick leave taken immediately after the tragedy in Tempi, the inspector of the Larissa station who is also responsible for the training of the shifts.
Today is expected the conclusion of the EDE which was requested under the designation of urgency by Minister of Health Thanos Pleuris about how and why sick leave was granted to the inspector. Some scripts mentioned that maybe he got permission from the… flag.
According to ERT information, the OSE inspector appeared at the Neurosurgery Outpatient Department of the Volos Hospital, with pain in the lower backh, looking for the clinic manager. However, the manager he was off duty and referred him to another doctor who finally signed his sick leave. Yesterday the Neurosurgery doctor who signed the license testified and today the director of the clinic has been summoned.
There should be three stationmasters by 23:00
The OSE inspector is already on holiday, while scenarios report that he does not accept the decision to go on holiday, because he claims that there is no legal basis for it. In his testimony before the investigative authorities on Friday, he said among other things that based on the official shift schedule he had drawn up until 11:00 p.m. on the fateful night of the tragedy in Tempe, there should be three stationmasters.
In the hands of the investigator is also the relevant barrio paper, which was handed over by a “key” witness during his long-hour testimony yesterday (6.3.2023). It is about the station master, who left at 11 in the evening, when the shift ended in Paleofarsala and went to Larissa, arriving about half an hour later, when the accident had already occurred. staying with the 59-year-old until he was brought by the Police.
The detained 59-year-old station master of Larisa, ihad a shift on the night of the train accident in Tempe from 10 at night until 7 in the morning. The shifts at the station are 9 hours. The first was from 06:00 to 15:00, the second from 14:00 to 23:00 and the third was from 22:00 to 07:00.
In each of these shifts, except for the night shift, according to information, two station masters are on duty. One experienced and one new, but whose shift is 8 hours. Also at the end of each shift and for an hour there are 3 station masters, as well their times coincide.
- Morning: 06:00 – 15:00 – 2 station masters
- Afternoon: 14:00 – 23:00 – 2 stationmasters
- Evening: 22:00 – 07:00 – 1 station master
Another station master whose shift, on the night of the tragedy, started at 2:00 p.m. and ended at 11:00 p.m. For one hour, that is, from 10 to 11, he should be at his post, together with the 59-year-old. According to information, the said station master allegedly left about half an hour before the end of his shift, leaving the accused alone. Of course, according to the shift schedule, he should be with the 59-year-old station master to have until 23:00 not one, but two station masters from the previous shift, which is also a concern of the investigation.
What did the detained station master say?
The 59-year-old stationmaster of Larissa claimed that in the previous hours there had been seven different problematic situations in the railway network. This created a burden, and the burden caused him stress at work. He also said that the evening stationmaster she had to stay with him until 11:00 p.m and to leave, once the outstanding issues that had been created have been resolved.
The article The investigation of the responsibilities for the tragedy in Tempi is expanding – Today the conclusion of the EDE on the sick leave of the chief station master was published on NewsIT .
