emergencies
Fatal train accident near Cologne: Investigations into the cause
The accident site in Hürth south of Cologne. photo
© Henning Kaiser/dpa
Two people die in a terrible accident on the tracks. How could this happen? Relatives and investigators are still dealing with this question today.
After the train accident with two dead south of Cologne, the investigations into the cause and course of events continue today. After the accident, for example, it was initially unclear why the work crew was still on the tracks, even though a train was approaching at high speed. The Intercity (IC) caught two workers near Hürth yesterday. The two died on the spot.
According to initial investigations, they carried out work on the route on behalf of Deutsche Bahn. The group also included five other workers who witnessed the death of their colleagues and suffered shock. They were not hit by the train, they remained physically unharmed. The accident happened on the open road near Hürth.
Currently no investigation
Investigators secured evidence at the scene of the accident yesterday. One also speaks to eyewitnesses whose statements are important, said a police spokesman. According to a police spokeswoman, collecting traces is part of the routine, and there is currently no preliminary investigation.
According to a spokeswoman for Deutsche Bahn, the IC 2005 was on its way from Emden to Koblenz and hit the workers around 11 a.m. At the time he was traveling at 160 kilometers per hour.
After the accident, the train had a braking problem, which, according to Bahn, was probably caused by the accident. So he had to be towed. The railway line between Cologne and Bonn remained closed for almost seven hours, resulting in failures and delays in long-distance and local traffic.