Two men are being held accountable for the tragic 40-car pileup at Greece’s Egnatia Highway on Sunday morning where five people lost their lives and dozens more were injured. The first man being held is the 39-year-old truck driver who lost control of his vehicle, smashing into the cars that were stopped due to roadworks taking place in the area. He met with the prosecutor on Monday and there are reports of claims he made regarding faulty brakes for 23 kilometers until the scene of the accident. He is scheduled to meet with the prosecutor again on Thursday. Police are examining the possibility that the driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel.

The second suspect is the 42-year-old contractor responsible for the roadworks that led to the traffic jam and he is meeting with the prosecutor on Tuesday. Both the contractor and the driver are facing charges of negligent manslaughter.

Minutes after the accident – cars in flames:

An official 184-word announcement came from the management of the Egnatia Highway a day after the accident. It makes no stipulation about the inadequate signage at the site. The brief statement points to electrical works by the Public Power Corporation taking place at the Egnatia Highway that led to the closure of its lanes, including the one used for emergencies. The press release is factual, without an explanation for the cause of the tragic accident.

Four people were pulled out of a car, dead on the spot, whereas a 60-year-old died on the operating table a few hours later. Another 76-year-old is still fighting for his life and is in a critical condition at Veria hospital. Fourteen victims are still hospitalized but are out of danger and in a steady condition. There are reports that there could have been more victims had the roadworks not caused a traffic jam causing a number of people to leave their cars.

It took 10 hours for the road to be cleared away for traffic to pass through following the accident that left metal and shattered glass in the wake of the pileup.

Cleaning up –