Germany ICE crashes into truck in Hamburg - clean-up work continues
After the train accident with one dead and 25 injured in the south of Hamburg, the clean-up work continues.
12.02.2025, 01:22
SDA
Work at the scene of the accident in the Harburg district is proceeding at full speed, said a spokeswoman for the railroad company on Wednesday night. According to the Federal Police, the ICE, which was badly damaged after a collision with a heavily loaded articulated truck, is no longer roadworthy and can only be removed later. The truck driver was taken into police custody for questioning.
It was still unclear when the line between Hamburg-Harburg and Buchholz in Lower Saxony would be open to traffic again. "Unfortunately, we can't give a forecast," said the railroad spokeswoman. However, there is hardly any impact on long-distance traffic. Trains would be rerouted and there would be delays of around 15 minutes.
The cause of the collision at the half-barred level crossing with traffic lights in the Rönneburg district is still being investigated. The ICE train with 291 passengers was traveling at high speed at the time of the accident in the early afternoon and hit the truck with such force that the windows were shattered, especially in the front cars, as an eyewitness told the German Press Agency. The heavy railroad tracks on the loading area of the semitrailer were scattered over the scene of the accident, which is not far from the state border with Lower Saxony.
Passengers have to stay on the train for hours
According to the federal police, the victim was a 55-year-old train passenger. Rescue workers were still trying to resuscitate him, said a fire department spokesman. According to the Federal Police, six passengers on the ICE were treated for moderate injuries and 19 were slightly injured. Some of the passengers had to remain on the train for hours after the accident before they were finally taken to Hamburg-Harburg by bus.
The Hamburg fire department was deployed with around 80 firefighters, while the federal police had 70 officers on site. In addition, Deutsche Bahn sent several emergency management staff to the scene of the accident.
