site.btaSaturday's Train Gas Explosion Death Toll Put at Seven

Saturday's  Train Gas Explosion Death Toll Put at Seven

Hitrino, Northeastern Bulgaria, December 12 (BTA) - Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Roumyana Buchvarova said the good news on the Day of mourning for the victims of Saturday's train blast was that they are seven, not eight as some media reported on Sunday.

A train carrying flammable chemicals was derailed and one of the tank cars exploded in the village of Hitrino on Saturday morning, causing a huge fire.

The flammable chemicals in four crippled tank cars were transferred to tank trucks during the night, she said. Access to the village remains restricted.

Chief Commissioner Nikolay Nikolov, head of the Fire Safety and Civil Protection Directorate General, said there was a risk of gas pollution in Hitrino which could cause lung damage, and what is worse, a blast. He assumed the train was derailed and a spark ignited gas leaking from a tank car.

While in the village, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said on Sunday the government would finance the construction of new housing for those who lost their homes in the blast. He thanked his counterparts from Turkey, Hungary and Israel, who offered help, the government information service said. Borissov assured them that Bulgaria can cope with the damage.

His counterparts Binali Yildirim, Viktor Orban and Binyamin Netanyahu condoled with the bereaved families and wished quick recovery to those injured.

In an open letter to the media the company which operated the train, Bulmarket Rail Cargo, offered sincere condolences to the victims' families and friends. The company's experts and independent foreign experts will work until full clarification of the case can be obtained. The company is working on several theories and will fully cooperate with the investigators.

The Council of Ministers will plan measures for coping with the aftermath of the accident at an extraordinary meeting on Monday.