One dead after freight trains collide on Munich bridge

One person died after two cargo trains collided on a bridge in Munich early Saturday morning, causing two carriages to derail and crash onto the street below.

The collision occurred at 1:40am in Munich's northern district of Milbertshofen as both freight trains were manoeuvring during shunting operations on the bridge. The impact caused one train to derail violently.

Two railway waggons came loose from the derailed train and fell off the bridge on to the street pavement. The two ends of the railcars touched the street surface, but the other ends stayed hanging from the bridge structure.

Around 60 emergency workers, which included the firefighters and police personnel, were rushed to the scene. Recovery work of the railcars started in the morning, and the officials mentioned that the accident site could be kept closed till Sunday.

The cause of the collision between the two freight trains which occurred during shunting operations is still unknown. It has been impossible to assess the level of damage to the bridge and infrastructure since Saturday morning.

According to the police spokesperson at the scene, the general public has been declared safe after the accident and the derailment of the trains. The district has been cordoned off as the recovery process goes on.

The investigators have not disclosed any details concerning mechanical failures or human errors in connection with the shunting operations.