Two-kilometre embankment fire damages railway line near Krefeld, disrupts multiple train routes

Fire along the railway

On Wednesday, 12 August, a roughly two-kilometre embankment fire broke out along the railway line between Krefeld and Meerbusch in North Rhine-Westphalia. The blaze ignited vegetation on the railway embankment at numerous points, spreading across several kilometres of track. Firefighters from Meerbusch, Krefeld, Kaarst, and surrounding communities including Viersen and Dormagen were deployed. The fire department in Meerbusch ended its operation around 23:00 on Wednesday after approximately six hours. Dry conditions facilitated the fire's spread, and in some cases already-extinguished spots reignited. The fire did not reach adjacent forests or residential areas.

In Meerbusch, all eight fire department units with around 80 firefighters responded. Feuerwehrsprecher Tilmann Hennig described the operation as unusual.

That the operation spread over such a wide area is very unusual. The challenge was to get an overview of the situation and to coordinate the units.

In Kaarst, approximately 55 emergency personnel from the fire department and rescue service were deployed, and a drone from the Jüchen fire department supported reconnaissance. Flames threatened a riding stable in Kaarst but were prevented from spreading. In Meerbusch-Osterath, a garden adjacent to the railway line burned completely across approximately 150 to 200 square metres. In Krefeld, a car parked near the embankment was destroyed.

Train evacuation

A passenger train halted on the open track near Kaarst had to be evacuated. Sources differ on the number of people on board, with some reporting around 120 passengers and others around 150. The train was not air-conditioned, and temperatures in the carriages rose during the standstill. Several passengers suffered circulatory complaints and were treated by emergency services and provided with drinks before being evacuated. The passengers were transported by fire department vehicles to a collection point and then onward by buses provided by Deutsche Bahn. The train was at no point in danger.

Damage to railway infrastructure

The flames damaged the railway track and cable ducts along the route, affecting the signal system. A Deutsche Bahn spokesperson said on Thursday that trains could currently only run at significantly reduced speeds due to the damage.

Currently, due to the damage to the signal system, we can only run at significantly reduced speed. This also reduces the capacity of the line, so that overall fewer trains can run.

The RE 7 line had replacement buses operating between Krefeld and Neuss. The RE 10 had replacement buses between Krefeld and Düsseldorf. The RB 37 was completely cancelled. Some individual trains were running but very slowly and on sight. The disruptions affected lines RE 7, RE 10, RE 42, RB 33, RB 35, and RB 37 through Thursday. According to the portal Zuginfo.nrw, the track was reopened for lines RE 7, RE 10, and RB 37 on Thursday around 08:30. The portal also reported that repair work would continue until Saturday morning. A Bahn spokesperson said the restrictions would last "rather hours than days" but could not guarantee disruption-free operations by Friday.

Cause and other fires

The cause of the fire remained under investigation, with no evidence of arson found. The fire department suspected sparks from a freight train may have triggered the blaze. Other fires burned across Germany amid hot, dry weather. In Sundern in the Sauerland, 250 firefighters battled a forest fire that was not yet fully under control by late Wednesday. In Hattersheim, Hesse, more than 200 emergency personnel worked on a roughly 15,000-square-metre meadow and forest fire, with follow-up extinguishing work continuing into Thursday.