site.btaSituation in Hitrino Remains Tense in Wake of Train Crash, Death Toll Climbs to Eight

Situation in Hitrino Remains Tense in Wake of Train Crash

Shoumen, Northeastern Bulgaria, December 11 (BTA) - The situation in the Village of Hitrino remains tense because gas has leaked from two tank cars, Interior Minister Roumyana Buchvarova said on Sunday after a meeting of the situation centre on site. "Our top priority is to make sure that the people who are draining the cars are not at risk," she said.

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

The Interior Ministry confirmed that seven persons were killed and 29 others were injured in the blast, which also destroyed nearby buildings. Later on Sunday, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov confirmed that the death toll had climbed to eight.

As of noon on Saturday, a dozen people were found and rescued from the debris of their homes. Over 50 houses were damaged, in addition to other public buildings. All residents were evacuated from the village until the removal of the hazardous substances from the area. Police officers are guarding the evacuees' property.

This high-risk operation of transferring the flammable chemicals from the crippled tank cars to tank trucks is being handled by a team of experts from the oil refinery in Bourgas. Emptying a tank car takes between 3 and 4 hours. Two large cranes are expected from Romania to help the effort.

Work will go on round the clock but cannot be finalized in less than ten days.

In Buchvarova's words, the situation got further complicated on Sunday. "We are planning to prevent all risks, and securing the tank cars will thus probably take longer," she specified. Interior Ministry Chief Secretary Georgi Kostov called on the locals not to try to return to the disaster area because there is a serious danger of gas pollution. On Sunday, Shoumen Regional Governor Donka Ivanova declared a state of disaster, which will remain in force until the tank car securing operation is completed.

"The best experts, who have volunteered to join the effort at the risk of their life, are working on site," Kostov added.

A mobile station of the Varna office of the Executive Environment Agency is monitoring ambient air quality in the area of the accident. It found that air pollution has been within limit values since Saturday evening.

In connection with the day of national mourning, declared for December 12, President Rosen Plevneliev postponed the handing of a cabinet-forming mandate to the Reformist Bloc from Monday to Tuesday, the head of State's Press Secretariat said.

The entire relief effort and the volunteers who help mitigate the effects of the disaster are coordinated by the Regional Centre for Disaster and Accident Response under Regional Governor Donka Ivanova.

Large-scale blood donation is not needed for the time being, but anyone who wishes may donate blood at the Shoumen hospital, Dr Pepa Kaloyanova, Director of the Shoumen Regional Health Inspectorate, told the Regional Centre, quoted by the regional administration.

The Regional Health Inspectorate is checking water sources in the area. Classes at the school in Hitrino have been cancelled. The Ministry of Education and Science is ready to provide financial resources for a repair of the school building. A psychological counselling team has been formed by order of Education Minister Meglena Kuneva.

The municipality mayors in Shoumen Region expressed their full support and readiness to assist Hitrino. Hitrino Municipality is expected to open a fund-raising bank account on Monday.