A serious pile-up occurred on the Egnatia Odos motorway at about 10:30 am on Sunday, which resulted in five deaths and the injury of thirty five others. The crash, which involved a total of 35 vehicles including three trucks, took place on the road from Veria to Thessaloniki.
The tragedy occurred when the 39-year-old driver of a truck with Romanian license plates plowed into the 30 vehicles, unable to apply his breaks. At the time of the incident road works were taking place. During questioning the 39-year-old driver claimed that he saw the warning sign and two men with flags signaling drivers, but was unable to reduce his speed.
As the truck appears to have been loaded with 19 tons of goods and the road where the incident occurred was on downward slope, the crash was particularly powerful. The police and fire brigade responded immediately. Fire fighters recovered four dead from the wreckages – two 53-year-old women, a 42-year-old man and another man whose age has not yet been confirmed. Another man who was seriously injured in the crash succumbed to his injuries during surgery later on Sunday.
About 30 people were injured in the crash and were rushed to local hospitals via ambulance and private cars. Amongst those seriously injured are two infants, aged 6 months and a year and a half. The commander of the Central Macedonia Fire Brigade Chrysanthos Athanasopoulos reported that one car and one truck involved in the crash went up in flames. Fire fighters were unable to save the car driver, whose burned remains were later recovered.
The police have detained the driver and his company’s 42-year-old manager for manslaughter and will be facing the Veria prosecutor on Monday. Traffic on the Egnatia Odos has since been restored.
