Greece railroad disaster: The station master’s deposition for the Tempi train wreck

The investigations carried out by the authorities into the fatal accident in Tempi are continuing. The deposition of the fatal stationmaster of Larissa, who, after being summoned to a deposition, was judged to be in custody by decision of the investigator and the prosecutor, plays a key role in their development.

The 59-year-old station master, during the seven and a half hours facing the investigator, answered the questions without apologizing and talked about everything. About his position at the station master, about how he became a station master, being 59 years old and of course what happened on the fateful night.

The station master’s entire deposition to the interrogator

Starting his deposition he mentioned how and when the accident happened and how the police called him to ask if there had been an accident. When he hung up, the fire department called immediately after, informing him of the collision of the trains. Immediately afterwards, he states that he does not remember what happened.

He also stated: “I had seen on the panel that when I turned the keys, after 2597  entered, the lights were solid white. What I can guess is that the key engaged momentarily and then disengaged and I went back to the siding without the lights on the panel changing,” he said in his deposition.

Appointed as stationmaster

At the beginning of his deposition, the station master describes that he was hired at OSE on 07/02/1989 as a worker on the Pelion train and after 1990 he moved to OSE Larisa in the baggage department until 30/04/2011 when the department was abolished. In 2011, he transferred to the Primary Education board of Larissa.

He continued by saying that “On 6/7/2022 with mobility of the 1st cycle of the year 2022, I returned to OSE in order to work as a station master based on the mobility positions that existed in Larissa“.

Following this, the interrogator asked him about the criteria that one must meet in order to submit an application within the framework of mobility to be placed as a station master. The 59-year-old answered the following: “He must have a high school diploma and I don’t remember if there is any age criterion.”

The subject of mobility positions in the OSE

The interrogator then asked him about the subject of the mobility posts. The station master replied that “The mobility positions concerned only permanent employees. Based on the mobility positions in Larissa there were four station master positions and four or five switch changer positions”.

In total, the mobility positions in Greece were 112, of which six were filled, i.e. two station masters, me in Larissa and one station master in Lianokladi and four administrators.”

The training of the station master

During his deposition, Mr. Samaras said that “Until my theoretical training began, in 1/2022, I had to go to various stations to see. My supervisor Dimitrios Nikolaou used to send me to these stations.

On 1/8/2022, my theoretical training started, which lasted until 21/10/2022. In this theoretical training there were 38 of us in Thessaloniki and another 40 in Athens. At the end of July, OSE hired another 13 stationmasters to cover service needs in Larissa, who would be paid by issuing a personal pay demand.

From 22/10/2022 until 21/1/2023 we did practical training at various stations, based on the program issued by the Inspectorate. As part of my practical training, I did previous service in Larissa, Paleofarsalos, Kalambaka and Litochoro.

After the end of the three-month practical training, on 23/1/2023, I was examined in writing and on 24/1/2023 orally in Thessaloniki, before the committee appointed by the administration of OSE.“