ICE train strikes track crew in Essen, killing one worker and injuring another

During the late-night hours on Sunday, a group of six Deutsche Bahn track workers were positioned on a rail segment in Essen. An ICE train traveling the line collided with two of the workers, resulting in one death and a second worker sustaining serious injuries. Firefighters used a turntable ladder to lift the injured man from the tracks to the roadway and then transported him to a hospital.

The response also involved a Bundespolizei helicopter and on-site emergency chaplains. The incident caused service disruptions, with long-distance trains between Gelsenkirchen and Duisburg being rerouted and delayed by about 20 minutes, while regional passengers were advised to check alternative routes. Authorities have opened an investigation, but no cause has been released yet.