A fire at a signal box near the northern German city of Hanover disrupted rail traffic between Hanover and Berlin on Saturday, followed by a dramatic car accident that damaged an overhead line, reported dpa.
A drunk driver crashed his car into a concrete bollard in Kleefeld on the outskirts of Hanover, flinging it from the bridge onto the tracks below. The overhead line was so badly damaged that a fully occupied intercity express train with 900 passengers was brought to a halt.
There were no injuries among the passengers, which included about 400 football fans, but there were several medical emergencies during the long delay, including cases of dehydration.
Emergency services and railway employees evacuated the train, with many passengers leaving on foot for Kleefeld. Others were bussed to Hanover Central Station, while the train was towed away.
Railway delays are likely to continue, with services only able to resume on the track once the overhead line has been repaired.
The intoxicated driver, meanwhile, was found at the scene of the accident. Although the car had overturned and come to rest on its roof, the driver was apparently not seriously injured.
Signal box vandalism?
German rail operator Deutsche Bahn on Saturday cited "vandalism" as the likely cause of the fire in the electric panel of the signal box and said delays and cancellations on the route are expected to continue on Sunday.
The police, however, told dpa there were no new findings regarding the cause of the fire. Investigations are ongoing to determine whether it was caused by a technical fault or arson.
Police said the device had been dismantled and taken away for further inspection. They do not expect results from the investigation for several days.
The signal box disruption is affecting long-distance services, causing delays and cancellations. Trains between Berlin and Hanover are only "slightly delayed" – although some were being cancelled, Deutsche Bahn said.
- Car crash
- Germany
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
