Catastrophe in Neubrandenburg: train accident claims three lives!

Catastrophe in Neubrandenburg: train accident claims three lives!

On November 23, 1985, a tragic train accident occurred in Neubrandenburg, which is still present in people's minds to this day. This was not just an unfortunate event, but one of the worst rail transport disasters in the GDR in the 1980s. The horrific scene when the bench seats came loose and came towards the passengers will never be forgotten.

At that time, a young woman named K. was traveling on the train with her family when the ill-fated train passed under a bridge to Trollenhagen. The situation quickly escalated: while she and her husband tried to save their children, she herself was seriously injured. Her subsequent treatment in the Neubrandenburg district hospital lasted ten days. In this accident, three people lost their lives and twenty others were injured, including five seriously.

The catastrophe in detail

The accident was the result of a collision between a shunting train and a freight train carrying passengers. The GmP train had 25 passengers on board and left Friedland at 2:27 p.m. At the same time, shunting work was taking place on the single-track line, which led to dangerous misunderstandings between the dispatcher and the shift manager.

Fortunately, the train drivers recognized the impending collision in good time and jumped off before the impact. This quick response prevented potentially even worse consequences. Nevertheless, the material damage was estimated at around 550,000 marks, while around 87,000 marks were incurred for additional property damage. The big danger came from 27,000 liters of gasoline and 63,000 liters of kerosene leaking into the ground.

Rescue and response

The rescue operation began just five minutes after the accident, but the fire department had a difficult time reaching the injured. Some affected passengers had to wait up to two hours for transport to hospital. Such waiting times are particularly alarming in crisis situations and put the emergency services under enormous pressure.

The investigation after the accident focused heavily on the dispatcher and the shift manager, who were subsequently taken into custody. Ultimately, the shift manager was sentenced to two years in prison. For those affected, this disaster was not only a question of responsibility, but also a painful memory that was associated with a loss of trust in the railway system.

In the days following the accident, the route between Neubrandenburg and Friedland remained closed while extensive clean-up work was carried out. These included clearing out the defective locomotives and wagons as well as replacing 1,500 cubic meters of soil contaminated with gasoline, which further illustrates the drama of the situation.

For more information about other rail accidents in Germany and their background, you can take a look at the Wikipedia page, which provides a comprehensive list: Railway accidents in Germany.

November 23rd marks the 40th anniversary of the disaster and we remember the victims and the brave rescue workers who were on duty on that fateful day. Their commitment and speed saved many lives. The memory of that day remains alive and we hope that lessons will be learned from these tragic events to prevent future accidents.