accident
Research into the causes of the devastation drive in Fürth
Firefighters are on duty in Fürth after a truck driver drove in chaos. Photo: professional fire brigade Fürth/dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
A semi-trailer pushes cars into house walls. Houses and vehicles burn. The driver is in custody. But the cause of the fatal accident is still unclear.
Two days after a drunk truck driver left a devastated road in Fürth during a horrific drive, the police are looking for the cause of the serious accident.
The 50-year-old driver is now in custody. He is being investigated for, among other things, leaving the scene of the accident without permission, negligent bodily harm, negligent endangerment of road traffic and negligent arson.
Two per thousand in the breath alcohol test
A breath alcohol test after the accident showed two per thousand, as a police spokesman said. The result of a blood test is now awaited. The man himself has not yet commented on the accident.
The 50-year-old drove his truck through a red traffic light and collided with a car there. Then he continued his journey, rammed several cars with the semi-trailer truck and partly pushed them into each other. Some of the wagons caught fire. Buildings were also demolished and caught fire.
Fürth’s Mayor Thomas Jung (SPD) spoke of “a miracle” that there were no fatalities. The driver and one other person suffered minor injuries.
Police: Several hundred thousand euros in damage
The rescue work was initially difficult on Wednesday. Specialists first had to remove 26 steel parts from the loading area of the semi-trailer. In the evening we managed to get the truck right and towed away.
The investigators expect further clarity on the amount of property damage. In addition to the damage to the 34 demolished vehicles and the truck itself, the experts focused on the buildings. The police assumed property damage of at least several hundred thousand euros.