Heated atmosphere

Exchange of blows after train accident with styrene spill

The derailment of this freight train is still causing a stir in Wels.(Bild: Stadt Wels/Laumat)

There is thick air between the SP and FPÖ in Wels. This was triggered by the Red Party's criticism of the lack of information provided by ÖBB and the local council to the residents of the train derailment in September. The Blue Party calls it an own goal. The municipal employee responsible is a long-standing SP local councillor. 

Five months after the train derailment at the Wels marshalling yard, the SPÖ is now on a full confrontation course with Mayor Andreas Rabl's FPÖ. Deputy head of state Klaus Schinninger took sharp aim at ÖBB and the city council. Important information is said to have been kept under wraps for far too long. As reported, toxic chemicals were leaked during the incident. However, affected households only received a letter with the information at the end of last week.

From the FPÖ's point of view, this backfired. "I am surprised by the criticism from the SPÖ. It applies to an SPÖ municipal councillor who is a water lawyer at the municipal council. He is responsible for ensuring that communication between ÖBB and the municipal authorities works. Perhaps the SPÖ should talk to each other more within the party," said city leader Rabl.

My criticism was primarily directed at ÖBB as the party responsible.

Klaus Schinninger, SPÖ-Vizebürgermeister

Schinninger counters: "My criticism was primarily directed at ÖBB as the party responsible. As far as our local councillor Bernhard Humer is concerned - there is another head of department at the district administration authority above him in the hierarchy. He is an FPÖ politician. However, I would like to emphasize that my criticism is only about the matter at hand."

Senior position resigned
Humer himself, who has been president of the successful Wels table tennis club for many years, takes a relaxed view of the exchange of blows: "First one politician feels obliged to say something. Then the next one says something." Since October, the cooperation with the Federal Railways has been going very well. "We have worked very calmly so far." A side note: Humer voluntarily resigned as head of department at the beginning of February and remains a civil servant.