According to Kostas Lakafossis, the expert appointed by the families of the victims of the Tempe train disaster, crucial findings from the General Chemical State Laboratory regarding substances found in the wreckage as early as March 2024 were not included in the official case files until 2025.

“Nine months later, we discover that xylene and toluene were found in the freight train,” he stated.

Delayed findings on hazardous chemicals

“Samples were taken from the coaches and metal panels in May 2024, and 25 samples were sent to the General Chemical State Laboratory for analysis. Now, nine months later, we find out that xylene and toluene were detected on the metal sheets of the first coaches, on the wooden parts of the first two coaches, and at one point in the fourth coaches. Additionally, six different spots containing these chemicals were identified at the front of the freight train.

We have only just discovered this, after a nine-month delay. In total, the substances were detected in 13 locations, including parts of all three engines. The last six locations have only now been included in the case files,” Lakafosis told Mega TV on Monday morning.

Families of victims demand answers

Antonis Psaropoulos, whose daughter Marthi lost her life in the crash, reacted strongly:

“This confirms what we’ve been saying from day one – that the fire wasn’t caused by silicone oils. I’ve said many times that the handling of the investigation has been deeply flawed. The lead investigator has been obsessively refusing to examine evidence in a timely manner, and unfortunately, I see no sign of that changing.”

Loukás Apostolidis, a lawyer representing the families of the Tempe victims, criticised the way the case has been handled from the start:

“In my view, the real culprits behind this crime are what I call the ‘triangle of guilt and corruption’ – the political leadership, state organisations, and private contractors. If the crime scene had been properly preserved, we would have had clear answers by now.”

Mary Chatzikonstantinou, a lawyer representing the families of victims who had been working in the train’s catering service, raised concerns about Hellenic Train’s stance on the case:

“Hellenic Train claims that these people were working for a third-party contractor and were not passengers. These people were burned alive – and the primary responsibility for this case lies with the investigative authorities. Why hasn’t the investigator called in our technical experts?”

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