Track worker killed as ICE train hits two workers in Essen, Germany

The crash

On Sunday evening, 25 October, a group of six Deutsche Bahn track workers was working on a section of line in the Katernberg district of Essen, according to the Essen fire service. Two of them were struck by an ICE high-speed train. Emergency crews could confirm only one death at the scene. The Essen fire service and dpa reports describe the group as six colleagues working together on the same track section when the collision happened.

Rescue operation

The second worker was seriously injured and was brought out of the track area by aerial ladder. Rescuers then handed him over to the ambulance service, which took him to hospital. Three emergency counsellors from Essen and Mülheim were sent to support the group, and one of them also accompanied the ICE driver. The operation lasted about two hours, with a federal police helicopter, a Deutsche Bahn emergency manager and German Red Cross specialist advisers also on site.

Rail disruption and investigation

Deutsche Bahn said long-distance trains are being diverted between Gelsenkirchen and Duisburg, with delays of about 20 minutes expected. Regional passengers were advised to check alternative routes through rail media. According to dpa, the line remains closed for now. No details about the background of the accident have been given so far, and investigations are underway.