As of: 01/14/2023 5:55 p.m
After contamination by coconut oil, the A7 near Göttingen is completely passable again. Early Monday morning, the lane in the direction of Kassel was closed for around 60 kilometers.
“All lanes are open. There are no longer any closures,” said the state-owned Autobahn GmbH on Saturday afternoon. The work was therefore completed a day earlier than previously expected. For the time being, Tempo 80 still applies on the route and the highway police advise you to drive carefully. The cleaning work had progressed much faster, especially since it was clear that it was coconut oil, it was said. At first it was not known what kind of substance had spread on the street – and what danger it might pose.
Long section of the A7 closed for days
After the pollution, the cause of which is still unknown, the Autobahn 7 was closed for around 60 kilometers from Northeim-Nord to the south. The section between Nörten-Hardenberg and Göttingen-Nord had been cleaned until the end. One lane has been open since Friday between Göttingen-Nord and Göttingen.
Coconut fat on the A7: Police optimistic when looking for the culprit
On Monday, witnesses saw a white tanker truck with yellow writing on the side that may have leaked coconut oil. Police are confident that they will be able to locate the owner of the vehicle. The exact ingredients, which are now known, are like a fingerprint, officials said. However, they are not allowed to use toll data for their investigations. “The Federal Highway Toll Act clearly regulates that transmission, use or confiscation of the data is not permitted under other legal provisions,” said the Göttingen senior public prosecutor Andreas Buick to the NDR in Lower Saxony. Investigators can call the phone number for more information (0551) 491 – 6515 opposite.
High costs due to dirt and cleaning
According to Autobahn GmbH, the costs for the cleaning work are not yet known. “But they are expected to amount to a high six-figure amount,” it said. Lower Saxony’s Economics Minister Olaf Lies (SPD) even spoke to the NDR in Lower Saxony of damage in the millions. The damage to the economy is immense. “The polluter must at least pay for the damage caused by all measures,” Lies demanded.
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