One individual has lost their life following a collision between two freight trains on a railway bridge in Germany overnight, as confirmed by officials.
The incident took place in the northern district of Milbertshofen in Munich, where two train carriages fell off the bridge onto the street below. Emergency services responded to the scene at 1:40 am CEST (12:40 am BST) with approximately 60 first responders dispatched, according to a spokesperson from the fire department.
The victim involved in the crash was not identified by the German news agency dpa, and the cause of the collision remains unknown at this time.
Reports indicate that the carriages plummeted about 16 feet from the bridge. Munich police have closed the street beneath the bridge and advised drivers to avoid the area during the ongoing recovery and clearance operations.
Fortunately, the derailed carriages were empty, posing no danger to public safety. There were no additional injuries reported in connection with the crash.
Following the incident, Schleissheimer Strasse was shut down in both directions, as reported by Bild. The police anticipate that recovery efforts may continue through the weekend.
Notably, the train accident did not impact passenger trains since the affected track is exclusively utilized by freight trains, according to a representative from Deutsche Bahn.
This event occurred shortly after a fatal train collision in England, where two passenger trains crashed near Bedford, resulting in the death of the driver and hospitalization of 28 individuals.
Speaking near the accident site, British Transport Police Chief Constable Lucy D’Orsi expressed condolences to the deceased driver’s family and provided updates on the injured passengers, with 28 remaining hospitalized, including nine in critical condition.
Paul Gates, strategic commander at the East of England Ambulance Service, disclosed that 11 individuals sustained severe injuries, while 32 others suffered significant injuries.