UPDATE: The death toll from the deadly collision between a passenger train and a commercial train outside Larissa now stands at 40.

In the last official update of the Fire Department, 40 dead were announced, but the number may unfortunately further increase.

As the spokesperson of the Fire Department explained, the search and extrication operation is focused on the first three carriages of the passenger train. Search operations to free passengers are in full swing by rescuers and volunteers who have rushed to the scene and are searching every nook and cranny. The investigation into the first and second carriages continues.

In the meantime, the prosecutor of the Supreme Court, Isidoros Dogiakos, assigned the supervision of the investigations into the fatal train accident in Tempi, to the prosecutor of Larisa, Stamatis Daskalopoulos.

Confirming the information, the fire department had earlier announced as of 6:20 am that there were 32 dead and 66 injured, while there were also trapped passengers of the train, which shortly after 11:00 pm on Tuesday night collided with a commercial train, a little outside of Larissa.

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Eight people have reportedly been killed and several injured in a train crash outside the city of Larissa in central Greece on Tuesday night. According to reports, the accident was caused when a passenger train collided with a commercial train outside of Larissa and then derailed.

The accident occurred shortly after 23:00, at the height of Evangelismos, near Tempi. The train was running the Thessaloniki-Larissa route and departed at 19:22.

The police and the fire department rushed to the scene to help free the passengers. More specifically, 40 firefighters with 17 vehicles are working.

Initial reports indicate that dozens of passengers are trapped and injured, while authorities fear the number of casualties could rise.

Strong police forces, the 8th EMAK, the Larissa Fire Service, and a total of 30 EKAV ambulances and doctors from Larissa, Volos, and Thessaloniki rushed to the scene of the accident. Following an order from the National Health Operations Center, the emergency rooms of the Larissa General Hospital were opened to receive the injured.

Buses have also rushed to the spot to pick up the passengers, who are in good health.

The Minister of Health, Thanos Pleuris has left for the hospitals, and the Secretary General of Transport, Giannis Xifaras, to the site of the accident.

The Minister of Civil Protection Christos Stylianidis is at the center of civil protection operations. Authorities on the site are keeping the Greek PM informed of the ongoing developments.