Two arrested over Sofia's Central Railway Station carriage fire in which four people died

Two people have been arrested in connection with the incident at Sofia Central Railway Station last night, as confirmed by the Sofia Directorate of Internal Affairs (SDVR). Their involvement in the fire that broke out in a train carriage is still being clarified. The fire was reported at around 2:30 AM on December 31. Four people died in the incident, and two others are in critical condition, currently being treated at "Pirogov" Emergency Hospital.

photo by BTA

• Four people died in a fire in a carriage at Sofia Central Station

BDZ (Bulgarian State Railways) company said that a group of homeless individuals had illegally entered the carriage where the tragic incident occurred. It is believed they started a fire to keep warm, but the flames quickly spiraled out of control.

The Head of the Fire Fighting Department, Chief Commissioner Alexander Dzhartov clarified that the carriage was not abandoned but operational.

According to Ivaylo Haralampiev from BDZ's Security Sector, the carriage had been composed at midnight for the Sofia–Petrich route, and the fire was reported at 2:35 AM.

The two injured individuals, one around 65 years old and the other over 35, are being treated for smoke inhalation and remain in critical condition. Chief Inspector Ivan Georgiev from SDVR's Mass Events Sector confirmed that an investigation is underway, and pre-trial proceedings are being conducted.

Fire Department officials noted that such incidents involving homeless individuals are not uncommon.

Chief Commissioner Dzhartov emphasized that homeless people, being a vulnerable group, often rely on makeshift materials to keep warm, which puts them at high risk of fire-related accidents.

The investigation, supervised by the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office, is ongoing. Prosecutors and police have secured the area as they work to establish how the individuals gained access to the carriage. Ivaylo Haralampiev stated that, according to BDZ's regulations, the carriage had been locked and secured, with surveillance cameras in place. However, it is suspected that the individuals managed to bypass the locks, which use simple mechanisms that can be easily obtained.

If the carriage was locked, how did they get in?

"They gained entry illegally," he said.

Rail transport expert Lyudmil Ivanov criticized the security measures, stating that the locks used on these older carriages, many of which are 40 years old, are insufficient.

He argued for increased security measures at the Central Railway Station, not only from the police but also through the involvement of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Sofia Municipality to better care for the homeless population.