“No more casualties have been found in Hitrino after this morning’s freight train explosion,” outgoing Prime Minister Boyko Borissov announced after a meeting of the crisis headquarters. He added that he had forbidden the issuing of any information whatsoever about the possible causes of the explosion. Investigative measures are underway, there will be a grueling trial after so many casualties, so much destruction and so much money that will be paid, said Borissov and added: “The speed is being measured meter by meter, the distance from Gorna Oryahovitsa to here; the functioning of the semaphores when two are yellow, the engine-driver has to slow down and take the turnoff, with a passenger train coming from the opposite direction; all this is something the prosecutors will be talking about whenever they think the time has come.” Borissov added that an operation for transferring the fuel from the tanks will begin this morning. 

Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski stated that Bulmarket company, owner of the freight train, had been audited every year: “It had its license reissued five years ago. The original license was issued in 2005. We have had no reports of violations. It is up to the investigation and the prosecutor’s office to provide the hypotheses.”

Rumyana Arnaudova, spokesperson for the prosecutor general told the Bulgarian National Radio earlier that all hypotheses of what caused the disaster were being looked into, including sabotage. The three engine-drivers have been interrogated, for the time being as witnesses.

Chief Commissioner Nikolay Nikolov, Director of the Fire Safety and Civil Protection Chief Directorate stated there had been no delay in the response of the teams of fire fighters as some witnesses allege.  

Seven people were killed in the tragedy in Hitrino which occurred at 5.40 yesterday morning. Out of the 29 people wounded 9 are at the hospital in Shoumen and 7 at the St. Marina hospital in Varna. The village has been evacuated.