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Burnt out cars in Fürth: swath of devastation
Photo: OSSWALD / AFP
Cars are on fire, a house facade is on fire, debris is lying around – and in the middle of it all is a semi-trailer truck: on Tuesday evening after an accident at a crossing in Fürth, a drunk truck driver left a path of destruction with his heavy vehicle, rammed cars and pressed them against a house wall .
The preliminary balance: three injured, including the driver, at least 33 damaged cars and a house that is not habitable for the time being.
Much is still unclear the morning after.
The 50-year-old driver was arrested.
Did he have a specific motive?
Or was he of unsound mind because of his drinking level?
Did he act consciously?
Or was there a technical defect?
Questions to which the police headquarters in Central Franconia could not give an answer in the morning.
"The damage is immense"
It is also unclear when the residents of the damaged house will be able to return to their apartments.
Experts would now examine the statics of the building, said a police spokesman.
"The damage is immense."
The articulated lorry had pushed several cars into the facade, some of which were on fire.
The flames spread to the building, window panes shattered, shutters melted and everything was filled with smoke.
The people had to leave their homes that night and were housed elsewhere.
"I've never experienced such a devastation scenario," said a police spokesman.
»One can only imagine the force with which the truck drove down there.
It could have been a nightmare scenario if there had been more pedestrians.” Glass, plastic parts, metal, exhaust pipes – the street was littered with splinters and debris.
The clean-up work would still drag on, it was said on Wednesday, even if some of the demolished cars had already been towed away during the night.
The semitrailer is to be recovered later on Wednesday with the help of a crane.
Damage to the road surface also needs to be repaired.
An investigation showed that the 50-year-old had around two per thousand alcohol in the blood.
When it was red, he first drove through an intersection and collided with a car.
The 74-year-old driver was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.
According to current knowledge, the truck then drove on and even accelerated.
On his way he rammed cars, pushed some in front of him and pressed them into a house wall.
A 64-year-old passerby could just jump to the side, according to the investigators, he was slightly injured.
The slightly injured truck driver is to be brought before an investigating judge.
He may be in custody.
Investigated for hit-and-run and assault.
wit/dpa/AFP