EODASAM on Tempi: ‘Demokritos’ to Verify Fire Cause – Responses on Lakafosis Email

A new meeting was held today by the (National Organization for Aviation and Railway Accidents and Transport Safety) regarding the disaster at Tempi and the related report, which has been at the center of discussions over the past 24 hours. EODASAM is turning as quickly as possible to ‘Demokritos’ to certify the results of the report concerning the fire, along with at least one other institution. During the meeting, clarifications were given about Ghent University and specifically whether the deputy president was aware of the participation of EDAPO (Independent Experts Committee for Families) in the Ghent investigation. According to Kostas Lakafosis, the deputy president had been informed via email at the end of January. The deputy president, however, claims that due to the immense volume of correspondence and his non-involvement in the investigation, he did not open or read the attachments… Detailed announcements were made regarding today’s (8/4/25) EODASAM meeting. The council was extensively informed by the deputy president and chairman of the railway sector about pending railway issues. The deputy president proposed proceeding urgently primarily with Demokritos and subsequently with others to reinforce and confirm the open point of EODASAM’s report regarding the causes of the fire through every possible means, ensuring the explanation provided is scientifically accurate and ideally indisputable. It was also noted that the deputy president received a letter from Mr. Lakafosis claiming that the deputy president had been informed by an email which he was not the recipient of but was shared with him, regarding EDAPO’s participation in the Ghent investigation at the end of January. The deputy president stated that he had requested the relevant message be provided to him a week ago and acknowledged its existence, though it remained unread due to the overwhelming volume of emails and his lack of involvement in the investigation. He believes the use of EDAPO by the investigation committee for calculating the fire and collaborating with Ghent University was legal but mistaken, maintaining there were other ways to conduct the investigation without raising questions about objectivity. He continues to believe only Demokritos or a higher institution possesses the necessary credibility for such a task. It was also reported that Mr. Papadimitriou attempted with three emails to secure the consent of the universities of Pisa and Ghent so as not to have to remove the corresponding section of the report, but this was unsuccessful, making the move legally necessary. The EODASAM report documents all errors leading to the collision and is not a fire investigation. The council supports the report and the impeccable work of the investigation team, emphasizing that the assessment regarding the non-participation of silicone oils in the creation of the fire is based on confirmation by Professor Konstantopoulos of AUTH and remains unchanged. Finally, it states that in no case does it declare the evaluation included in the report incorrect, but as the committee itself requested, it should be confirmed and certified immediately. Once this is done, the relevant section of the report will return with fully certified results and assessments from top academic institutions.