Explosion reported outside Hellenic Train offices in Athens

Police cordoned off the area after two Greek media outlets receive warning calls that an explosive device would go off

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An explosion occurred outside the offices of Hellenic Train in Athens, Greek police said on Friday, adding there were no immediate reports of injuries.

Police cordoned off the area after two Greek media organizations received warning calls that an explosive device would go off within 35 minutes, police officials said. A suspicious-looking bag was spotted outside the building which was evacuated.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Hellenic Train is a unit of Italy's Ferrovie dello Stato, which operates passenger and freight routes in Greece. A deadly 2023 train crash, Greece's worst rail disaster, killed 57 people, mostly students, and injured dozens.

Many Greeks view the crash as emblematic of the neglect of the country's railways in recent decades and also of a persistent failure by the state to address safety concerns. The crash has prompted angry protests, fuelled further by a lack of trust in institutions.