Tempe: In a fiery collision early on Wednesday in northern Greece, a passenger train and an approaching freight train collided, killing 26 people and injuring at least 85 others, according to Fire Service officials.

Following the collision near Tempe, about 380 kilometres (235 miles) north of Athens, several cars came to a stop, some of which derailed, and at least three caught fire. In the nearby city of Larissa, hospital officials reported that at least 25 people had serious injuries.

According to Fire Service spokesman Vassilis Varthakoyiannis, "the evacuation process is ongoing and is being carried out under very difficult conditions due to the severity of the collision between the two trains."

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He said the area's burn victim hospital units had been notified, and dozens of ambulances were helping with the rescue operation. Rescuers wearing headlamps searched for trapped people while pulling twisted metal from the rail cars while working in dense smoke.

Buses were used to transport passengers to Thessaloniki, 130 kilometres (80 miles) north of the incident, if they suffered only minor injuries or were unharmed. As they arrived, police took their names in an effort to find anyone who might be missing.

As he exited one of the buses, a teen survivor who declined to give his name told Greek reporters that just before the collision, he felt a strong braking, saw sparks, and then there was a sudden stop.

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He said, clearly shaken, "Our carriage didn't derail, but the ones in front did and were smashed." He continued by saying that the first car caught fire and that he had to escape by smashing the window of the fourth car with a bag.

Costas Agorastos, the regional governor of the Thessaly region, described the collision as "very powerful" and said it was "a terrible night" in remarks to state television.

The train's front section was destroyed. Cranes and specialised lifting tools will be brought in to remove the debris and lift the rail cars. Around the crash site, debris has been thrown everywhere.

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According to officials, the army was contacted for assistance. Around 350 passengers were on board the northbound passenger train from Athens to Thessaloniki at the time of the collision, according to rail operator Hellenic Train.