Several Killed in Train and Plane Disasters

Early Wednesday morning a fire broke out in an overnight train headed from Paris to Vienna via Munich. Twelve people were killed, among them four Germans. The travelers, who were all in a sleeping wagon, were awakened by the smoke and flames. Transportation officials believe the fire was caused by a technical defect.

The train, owned by the German state rail operator Deutsche Bahn, had left Paris and was on route to Munich when rail workers flagged down the smoking engine in the eastern French city of Nancy. Officials on the scene say the fire most likely ignited in a control panel in the sleeping wagon, and then spread rapidly to two compartments.

"One compartment was completely incinerated. The smoke in there was especially poisonous," a local fireman told DPA wire service.

Experts say most of the 12 victims died from severe smoke inhalation or suffication. Eight other travelers suffered minor burns and are now being treated in local hospitals for smoke inhalation. The rest of the 150 passengers have been taken to a gym in Nancy to await further transportation.

A spokesperson for the Deutsche Bahn said the train would remain in France for further investigation into the cause of the fire. The train accident is the worst in France in the last five years.

Plane crash

A few hours after the news of the train fire spread through Germany, a Luxair commuter plane on a flight from the German capital Berlin crashed in thick fog near Luxembourg airport, killing at least 16 people.

A Luxembourg government spokesman said the Fokker-50 plane, a propeller machine carrying 19 passengers and three crew members, went down at 10:15 a.m. about five kilometers from the Grand Duchy's international airport. Aviation authorities in the country believe heavy fog and poor visibility contributed to the crash.

A spokesperson from Germany’s Foreign Ministry in Berlin told reporters that it was likely "numerous Germans were among the victims."

According to officials at Berlin’s Tempelhof airport, the plane started on time at 8.43 in the morning without any difficulties. Weather conditions were ideal for flying, clear and sunny.

"We were in constant communication with the airplane, until contact suddenly broke off," Luxair told Reuters. The airport’s control tower did not receive a warning from the pilots. Just a day before the crash, the plane passed a routine technical inspection.

Luxair, which is 36 percent owned by the Luxembourg government, said Wednesday’s crash was the first disaster in the airline’s 40-year history. The company told reporters it would conduct immediate inspections of the other three Fokker-50 machines in its fleet. It promised to work with German officials to uncover the cause of the accident.

Germany sets up crisis team

After news of the crash reached him, Germany’s Transportation Minister, Manfred Stolpe immediately headed off for Luxembourg to get a personal overview of the accident scene. Luxembourg’s Minister President Jean-Claude Juncker was also at the crash site.

Both countries will be working together to investigate the cause of the crash. Germany’s Foreign Ministry has set up a crisis team to coordinate efforts and to provide information on victims to their families.