Fatal train accident in Bremen: Railway closed between Bremen and Bremerhaven!

Fatal train accident in Bremen: Railway closed between Bremen and Bremerhaven!

A tragic incident shocked the citizens of Bremen this morning. At around 7:25 a.m. there was a fatal accident at a level crossing in Burg-Grambke in which a 19-year-old driver lost his life. The driver collided with a Nordwestbahn passenger train that was traveling on the RS 2 line from Bremerhaven-Lehe to Bremen at the time of the accident and had recently left Burg station. The accident occurred a few minutes after the train departed, shocking passengers and emergency responders. The exact cause of the collision and the circumstances are currently unclear and police are investigating, particularly with regard to the barrier positions. If necessary, the investigation can take several weeks.

In the area around the scene of the accident, which is between the Burg and Oslebshausen train stations, there is heavy commuter traffic, especially in the morning. The affected level crossing is one of four that secure this section of the route. The barrier has been in operation again since August 18, after the crossing was previously closed due to construction work. At this time, the barrier system was equipped with demand-controlled security, which was supervised by a level crossing guard.

Closure of rail traffic and replacement traffic

Due to the accident, the Nordwestbahn has temporarily stopped train services between Bremen and Bremerhaven. The closure is expected to last until the evening. Travelers in this direction are asked to use alternative bus services between Bremen main station and Bremen-Burg. Although these buses do not run on a fixed schedule, they provide an important connection for commuters and travelers. There are also failures on the regional train lines between Bremen and Bremen-Nord as well as Bremen and Bremerhaven, which represent a significant disruption for many passengers.

Around 150 passengers had to be evacuated from the train while the rescue services were deployed, but fortunately there were no injuries on the train itself. The fire brigade, police and federal police were immediately on site to deal with the situation.

Background to rail accidents

This tragic incident is not the first of its kind in recent times. In Germany, 60 to 70 fatal accidents occur at railway crossings every year. In Bremen these numbers are in the low single digits, but the incident still highlights a recurring problem. According to TÜV NORD, 27% of all train accidents occur at level crossings, and a worrying 98% of these accidents are fatal. Stefan Pöting, head of railway technology at TÜV NORD, points out the long braking distances of trains, which are often underestimated. At high speed, a train needs up to 700 meters to come to a stop. He therefore appeals to road users to always be careful and not to underestimate the risk when crossing tracks.

The police have already received information from social media that the driver may have driven into the crossing when the barrier was open. However, this remains an unanswered question until the investigation is completed, as no eyewitness reports have yet been confirmed.

This morning's events show how important it is to be vigilant and take safety precautions at level crossings seriously in order to prevent such tragic accidents in the future.

For up-to-date information and further reporting, read more at buten and within and Weser courier. You can find further background information about safety at level crossings on the website TÜV NORD.