At least three people have died, and multiple others were injured after a train derailed in Germany. The train carrying around 100 passengers derailed on Sunday, July 27, according to the Associated Press.
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Train Derailing In Germany Kills At Least 3, Injures Dozens
Police don’t yet know the cause of the accident near Riedlingen. Still, they have an inkling that the bad weather could’ve affected it. The train traveling in the state of Baden-Wüerttemberg patrially derailed around 6:10 PM local time.
It crashed in a forest area as the train was on its way to the city of Ulm. Two of the carriages derailed while a storm was passing through the area. Now, authorities believe the rain could’ve played a factor in the accident.
“There have been heavy rains here, so it cannot be ruled out that the heavy rain and a related landslide accident may have been the cause,” said Thomas Strobl, Baden-Württemberg’s interior minister. “However, this is currently the subject of ongoing investigations.”
So, how did rain cause such a freak accident? According to German media, heavy rain caused landslides, which may have contributed to the derailment.
The derailment injured around 50 people on board, 25 of them sustaining critical injuries. A spokesperson for Deutsche Bahn, the German train operator, told PEOPLE that “several fatalities and many injuries” happened.
“We therefore ask for your understanding that we cannot comment on further details at this time,” said the spokesperson.
According to investigators via German outlet SWR, the three victims involved were a 70-year-old passenger, a 32-year-old train driver, and a 36-year-old trainee. The railway has since closed until further notice as cleanup and repairs are underway.
In a statement from Baden-Württemberg’s Health Minister Manfred Lucha, he expressed his condolences to the affected families. “In moments like these, we see how important cohesion and solidarity are in a society,” said the translated statement.
Lucha went on to thank every firefighter, doctor, nurse, and rescuer who helped during this incident. “They worked tirelessly throughout the night to ensure that the injured received the best possible medical care,” said Lucha. “Your commitment, professionalism, and compassion are invaluable in this difficult hour.”