Rail Worker Killed and Another Injured After Being Struck by Train in Essen
A police homicide squad has launched an investigation into the fatal railway accident that occurred late Sunday night.
A tragic railway accident in the German city of Essen left one track worker dead and another seriously injured on Sunday evening. The incident occurred shortly before midnight in the Katernberg district, when an Intercity Express train struck two employees who were part of a larger crew performing maintenance work along the tracks.
According to the Essen fire department, emergency services received an emergency call at 11:11 p.m. reporting the accident on an open section of the Deutsche Bahn railway line in the Grundstraße area. Responding personnel arrived to find that a 39-year-old worker had succumbed to his injuries at the scene. A second worker, aged 28, sustained serious injuries but was reported to be in non-life-threatening condition.
Firefighters utilized a turntable ladder to rescue the injured worker from the track area and transfer him to the street, where emergency medical personnel provided initial treatment before transporting him to a hospital. Authorities noted it remains unclear whether the survivor was directly struck by the high-speed train or hit by flying debris.
A large response, including numerous rescue workers, the Federal Police, the German Red Cross, and a Deutsche Bahn emergency manager, was deployed to the scene. A police helicopter assisted with aerial surveillance, while three emergency chaplains provided psychological support to affected individuals, including the train driver. The rescue operation lasted approximately two hours.
The group of six employees had been clearing greenery along the tracks when the collision took place. While the exact background of the incident remains under investigation, a police spokesperson confirmed that a homicide commission has been established to investigate potential negligent homicide. Investigators are currently evaluating physical evidence collected at the scene and interviewing witnesses.
Authorities are examining how the accident could have happened despite the presence of required safety equipment at the location. Investigators reported no indications that the train was exceeding the established speed limit of 160 kilometers per hour for that section of the track. Strict safety regulations govern all track work, typically involving safety plans, automated warning systems, and mandatory alerts.
Following the accident, the northern section of the railway line in Essen was completely closed, causing disruptions and detours in regional and long-distance rail traffic. Deutsche Bahn reported that one of the tracks was reopened for traffic by Monday morning, and the entire railway line was fully cleared by midday.