Finding Topaam on Tempe Tragedy: What caused fireplace after collision

Apocalyptic is the finding of EPANAAM about the Tempi and the causes that led to the rail tragedy with the 57 dead. The 178 -page finding emphasizes protocol violations, but also on systemic pathogens and shortcomings on the railway, while special emphasis is placed on the fireplace and the causes that caused it, with reference to the possible presence of « unknown fuel ».

In particular, in its findings, EPANAAM records evidence and analyzes of the fire that occurred after the train collision and the possible presence of flammable materials that had not been declared. In particular, all materials in train machines do not justify the height of the fireplace caused after the conflict in Tempi. That is why it is left open to the possibility of an « unknown fuel », which led to the great fire, from which it is estimated that 5 to 7 people died.

Tempi: Important items were lost

The conclusion also states that the operational perimeter was not properly implemented as well as proper mapping of the accident investigation area resulting in significant data.

« There were no samples of soil and materials or superficial coatings before the train residues were taken to the Koulouri field were taken from the site of the accident. At the request of the families of the victims, the judge ordered samples from the ground at the site of the accident and the remnants of the train in Koulouri on March 28, 2023, 29 days after the accident. The results of chemical analysis were deemed unclear due to the delay of 28 days and the infection of the crime site, « he said.

« If proper sampling and analysis had been done at the site of the accident on March 1, 2023 (10-12 hours after the accident), there would be plenty of information to determine the type and location of the source for the unknown fuel, » he added.

He observes that « traces of various hydrocarbons were found, including mainly traces of wood in the sample with EMP12-21 in a sample of ground on the side of the lines. When a second sampling and analysis took place in October 2023, two terrain samples received from exactly the same area (samples of EMP51-5 and EMP51-6) did not contain any wood, indicating that Xylio does not normally exist as a result of pollution. This enhances the unusual presence of wood in the first sample. « 

Unknown fuel caused the fire

Concerning the explosion and fireplace created after the trade collision with the passenger train, the Commission notes: « The large fiery sphere in the Railway in Tempi, which appeared within 0.5 seconds of the trains. Temperatures (> 400) could not – for the reasons of kinetic reaction – be ignited in the prevailing environment.

In addition, the absence of white dust (silicone dioxide, Sio₂) at the site of the accident, in quantities that would justify the burning of a large amount of silicone oil, is another clear indication that such an event did not take place. Therefore, the origin of the fiery sphere that is in line with a few tones of a flammable fuel fuel must be sought elsewhere. « 

The Commission concludes with the following conclusion:

« Based on the observations that were able to make, there is no indication that the technical equipment of the material used has caused the formation and expansion of the huge fiery sphere that emerged after the impact, and then led to the secondary fires. Existing data is impossible to determine exactly what has caused it, but simulations indicate the possible presence of an unknown fuel to date. « 

'Not mentioned in the transfer documents'

Explaining why the explosion cannot be attributed to the silicone oils, the finding states: « Even if the case of ignition and the creation of the original fiery sphere could be accepted, the 2nd stage of the fiery sphere is more difficult to explain to the silicone oil: Heat and at ambient temperature. Survivors from the restaurant wagon did not report any significant change in temperature during this stage and have no radiation burns. These evidence shows that the unknown fuel is volatile and very flammable. « 

It is also noteworthy the observation of the finding that the presence of the flammable substance described is not contained in the transmission documents of the commercial train.

« The presence of a flammable substance with the features identified in the previous analyzes does not refer to the transport documents of the freight train 63503. Also, the recently published videos of the train 63503, although they have not yet been made available to EDASAM by the judicial investigation, findings. « 

« Inspection of the manner of the accident was not in the way it needed and so the unknown fuel/material that caused the fireplace could not be determined, » Bart Aka, a member of the EPASAM investigation committee, said. « What was officially transported to the train and engine materials cannot justify the fireplace, » he said.

According to the finding, the investigation of the Tempe tragedy reveals serious deficiencies in the management of rail safety, both at the process of processes and at the level of cooperation between the relevant bodies. The results of the research should be used to take substantial improvement measures, with the aim of avoiding corresponding tragedies in the future.