One big hug. The one with which the city of Viareggio joined the families of the victims of the train disaster. Like every June 29th. For 15 years now to support the path towards truth, justice and security. A virtual embrace which was also joined yesterday by the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella: “Safety in transport, like safety at work, is an indicator of civilization that must prevail over any logic of profit, because it affects people’s lives. This is a lesson that must never be forgotten.” A strong emphasis from the President who recalled that “on the night of 29 June 2009, Viareggio was injured by the consequences of a railway disaster which, now as then, seems unacceptable to us. The images and memory of that tragedy remain indelible. fifteenth anniversary, the Republic – assures the Head of State – is close to the families who saw their loved ones unexpectedly torn from life and who, in pain, were able to start a civil process to ascertain the responsibilities of what happened and to promote, everywhere, greater safety in transport”.
A decisive change of direction, compared to 11 years ago, when – in November 2013 – on the eve of the start of the trial, this same State decided not to take part as a civil party, preferring to shower honors on those who were accused (the reference to the Knighthood of engineer Mauro Moretti’s work is purely coincidental) leaving the families of the victims alone in that “civil process” – to quote Mattarella’s words today – which led to the ascertainment of the truth and to ‘tatters’ of justice, as well as he calls them, Marco Piagentini who that cursed night 15 years ago lost his wife and two children at a young age. It was the night of June 29, 2009, a date that no one in Viareggio will be able to forget. The sky starts to turn red at 11.50pm. Flames as high as skyscrapers, the screams of people reduced to human torches looking for a path to salvation. All caused by the derailment of a convoy with 14 tank cars which derailed at almost 100 kilometers per hour. All for a rusty and unreplaced axle.
“Infrastructural networks, and among these the railways – continues the Head of State – are an essential condition for the life and economic development of the country. Security is an indispensable prerequisite, as well as being a primary right of citizens and users. it is possible to derogate from the acquired standards, indeed – concludes Mattarella – the level of safety must be raised through more effective controls and technologies and a general growth in awareness”. Words that the families of the victims today espouse and approve, hoping that the Railways can effectively improve safety on the tracks, especially in the transport of dangerous goods.
Paul Of Grace
