East Frisia
Ghost train at folk festival catches fire – eleven injured

Emergency services have set up a privacy screen on the Gallimarkt in Leer after a ghost train caught fire in the afternoon
© Lars Penning / DPA
A ride caught fire at a large folk festival in East Frisia. Several people were injured – three of them were taken to hospital.
Eleven people were injured when a ghost train caught fire at East Frisia’s largest folk festival. Three injured people were taken to hospitals as the police announced in the evening. There had previously been talk of five injuries. The incident happened at the Gallimarkt in Leer.
According to the information, the ghost train caught fire for an initially unknown reason, but the fire was quickly extinguished. The extent of the damage is also still unclear. The cause of the fire is now being determined, the spokesman said. The market was very well attended because of the sunny weather. According to previous information, the city was expecting around half a million visitors to the festival.
Gallimarkt since 1508 in East Frisia
During the festival, 19 large rides and around 250 market stalls are spread throughout the city center. The Gallimarkt, once a cattle market, dates back to 1508, when Count Edzard I granted market rights to what was then the town of Leer. The cattle market is still part of the folk festival today.
Note: This article has been updated due to a higher number of injuries.