Cars Burned

Major cleanup following the inferno at the train station

Numerous cars were completely destroyed in the accident.(Bild: Monatsrevue/Lenger Thomas)

The cars have been removed; now the damaged freight trains must be hauled away: Cleanup efforts are underway following the collision and subsequent fire at the Kledering marshalling yard (Lower Austria). In addition to assessing the damage to the tracks, authorities are also investigating whether the soil has been contaminated. The cause of the accident remains unknown.

The flames have been extinguished, but the full extent of the damage is only gradually becoming apparent: Following the freight train accident at the Kledering central marshalling yard near Schwechat, Wednesday’s efforts are focused on recovery and damage assessment. Officials are also concerned about possible soil contamination.

The loaded cars were already removed overnight. The freight trains are scheduled to be removed on Wednesday. Only then will it be possible to assess the extent of the damage to the railway infrastructure and determine what repairs are necessary, explained ÖBB spokesperson Daniel Pinka.

Numerous Cars Burned
The freight train was coming from Debrecen, Hungary, where BMW opened its new plant last year. It was carrying about 40 cars, roughly ten of which were destroyed by the fire. The vehicles being transported also included electric and hybrid cars. 

After the collision, several railcars caught fire.(Bild: Maximilian Mohr)

Damaged or burning batteries can produce hydrogen fluoride, which reacts with water to form hydrofluoric acid. Investigations are still underway to determine whether any pollutants have seeped into the soil. The central incident command team is currently determining the next steps.

Three freight cars derailed
The collision occurred on Tuesday around 5:25 p.m. During a so-called “side-by-side” maneuver, two freight trains collided side-by-side. Three freight cars loaded with cars derailed and partially overturned. A violent fire then broke out.

More than 100 firefighters were deployed to extinguish the blaze. Due to difficulties with the water supply, a shuttle service with fire trucks was set up. A “Panther” airport fire truck was also requested.

One train engineer was able to free himself, while another had to be rescued from where he was trapped. No one was injured.

Freight trains are being rerouted
Operations at the marshalling yard remain partially restricted for the time being. Affected freight trains and shunting operations are being rerouted via other lines. According to ÖBB, passenger service remains unaffected for the time being.

A possible cause is a stop signal that was disregarded. The exact cause of the accident is still under investigation. The extent of the damage has not yet been determined.