Child dies after freight train accident in Germany
February 2, 2023A 10-year-old boy died and a 9-year-old was seriously injured but in stable condition after they were hit by a freight train in the western German town of Recklinghausen, local authorities said on Thursday night.
Local media reported that the children were dragged for several hundred meters by the train, which was passing through the industrial Ruhr area.
Police said there was no evidence that other children had been affected.
Emergency services at the scene
According to the fire brigade, 35 firefighters and rescue workers were at the scene.
They used a drone with thermal imaging cameras to find potential victims in the darkness.
"We searched the track bed," a spokesperson for the fire brigade said.
The interior minister of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Herbert Reul, visited the scene of the incident on Thursday night.
"Children and trains and at such a young age, it's just horrible what happened here and one can only hope the parents will have the strength to overcome this great misfortune," Reul said.
zc/jsi (dpa, AFP, Reuters)