Police and fire service acknowledge motorists’ ire following motorway delays

The “suffering, irritation and indignation” of drivers who were trapped for hours on Thursday in their vehicles on the Athens-Corinth motorway after police closed traffic following a fire that broke out on a fuel truck was “completely understandable and respected,” the police and fire service have said in a joint statement.

The statement said the fuel truck was carrying 7.2 tonnes of liquid natural gas and was found to be leaking.

“The competent authorities were called upon to manage a complex and dangerous incident amid very high traffic,” the statement said, adding that the “the critical process of removing the flammable material” was postponed several times during the day.

It said the safety of drivers and vehicle occupants was “the sole and non-negotiable consideration.”

“Given the tragic experience in similar incidents of the past, it was deemed imperative … to strictly follow the protocols for the removal of the dangerous material (liquefied gas), a time-consuming process but, above all, extremely demanding, in terms of sensitivity and its dangerousness.”

The driver of the truck has been arrested, the statement said.