Bomb Explodes Near Hellenic Train Offices Amid Ongoing Public Outrage Over Deadly Rail Crash
- Victor Nwoko
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
A bomb detonated Friday night near the offices of Hellenic Train, Greece’s primary railway company, in a central Athens district. Authorities confirmed there were no injuries, though the blast caused limited structural damage and heightened existing public tensions surrounding the country’s rail safety.
The explosion occurred close to the company’s central offices on Syngrou Avenue, a major thoroughfare lined with bars and restaurants. Police said the explosive device had been placed inside a bag near the building. Forensic experts in protective coveralls were seen collecting evidence at the scene, while officers cordoned off the area to keep residents and tourists away.
According to Hellenic Train, the explosion caused no injuries to employees or passers-by. The company stated that authorities responded swiftly after receiving a warning about the device. An anonymous caller had phoned a newspaper and a website prior to the explosion, warning that a bomb had been planted and would detonate within approximately 40 minutes. The company expressed full cooperation with law enforcement and reaffirmed its commitment to employee safety.
The bombing comes amid renewed public outrage over a devastating 2023 rail disaster in Tempe, northern Greece. The accident, Greece’s deadliest train crash, occurred on February 28, 2023, when a passenger train and a freight train traveling in opposite directions were mistakenly routed onto the same track. Fifty-seven people, most of them young students returning to university after a public holiday, were killed. Dozens more were injured.
The disaster exposed severe failings in Greece’s rail infrastructure, particularly in safety systems, and prompted mass protests across the country. Demonstrations—many led by grieving families—have demanded accountability from the conservative government, which critics accuse of failing to take political responsibility or bring senior officials to justice. To date, only railway personnel have faced criminal charges.
Tensions escalated further earlier on Friday during a contentious session in Parliament. Lawmakers voted to refer a former Cabinet minister to judicial authorities for investigation over an alleged breach of duty in his response to the crash.
In a statement following the bombing, Hellenic Train condemned all forms of violence and the escalating tension, warning that it was contributing to a toxic climate that threatens to undermine any progress made.
Greece has a long history of politically motivated violence dating back to the 1970s. While major extremist groups from past decades have been largely dismantled, smaller militant organizations have emerged in recent years. In one such incident last year, a man attempting to assemble a bomb was killed when the device detonated prematurely in a central Athens apartment, severely injuring a woman present at the scene. In response, the Minister of Citizen Protection, Michalis Chrisochoidis, warned of a new wave of domestic extremism.
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