There is a lot of speculation around the cause of the explosion and fire after the train collision in Tempi, experts are dispelling various conspiracy theories. What caused the fire mushroom?
Experts say that the cause of the strongest explosion was a large amount of oil in the engines of both trains. Each of them contained 2.5 tons, i.e. in total – 5 tons. During a head-on collision, the temperature of the oil that spilled out of the damaged containers rose sharply, and it caught fire. This is evidenced by the video of the explosion.
The final conclusion will follow after a thorough investigation of experts. However, it is already known that the freight train was not carrying flammable substances. Among the cargoes are sheet metal, grain and fruits. Such data was obtained as a result of a police investigation and from firefighters who were at the scene of the tragedy. At the same time, firefighters claim that there were no propane tanks.
As explained by electrical mechanic and forensic expert Christos Glavopoulos, the train’s braking system uses oil at very high pressure. After the collision, the temperature rose above the autoignition limit, resulting in such an intense fire. Expert verdict quotes CNN Greece:
“The mushroom shows that there has been an ignition of the oils that are in the pressure tanks and regulate the brake system. Justified.”
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