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Trains in the Essen train station (archive picture): Rail traffic could be disrupted until the early hours of the morning
Photo: Caroline Seidel / dpa
A major overhead line damage near the Essen-West train station leads to considerable impairment of local and long-distance traffic in the Ruhr area.
The damage was caused by a short circuit at around 11.30 a.m., said Dirk Pohlmann, spokesman for Deutsche Bahn.
It was not yet clear whether a flight of birds or a train user caused the short circuit.
The overhead line was partially torn down.
The repair could take until late at night, according to Pohlmann.
The train traffic between Essen and Duisburg is currently massively disrupted, it said.
An ICE with around 80 people and an S-Bahn with around 30 passengers in Essen had to be evacuated on the open route by the fire brigade and rescue service.
The railway line between Duisburg and Dortmund is partially closed, long-distance trains are being diverted on a large scale.
Trains arrive late or are canceled completely.
For regional and local transport, buses are used to replace passengers.
Thousands of commuters in the area are affected by train cancellations and delays.
According to rail spokesman Pohlmann, it could take until night or early in the morning before rail traffic is back to normal.
ptz / dpa