Large-scale operation due to freight train: Chemical alarm on the track ends lightly

It is not the first fire brigade operation on the railway line near Grafing. The archive image testifies to an incident from last summer. © yes

A large-scale operation due to a feared chemical accident on a freight train has torn numerous firefighters in the district of Ebersberg out of their Sunday rest. Fortunately, with a mild outcome.

Grafing – Numerous fire brigades from the region moved out on Sunday afternoon for a large-scale operation, the cause of which fortunately turned out to be harmless in the end. As district fire officer Andreas Heiß confirmed to the Ebersberger Zeitung, the brakes of a freight train had overheated on the train line between Grafing and Oberelkofen – smoke had developed at a temperature of over 200 degrees.

Since a fire could not be ruled out at first and, according to initial information, one of the train's wagons was a transport of chemical hazardous goods, the available emergency services were alerted comprehensively. Soon after, however, the majority of the rescuers who had been deployed received the signal to move in again.

Alerting sets numerous fire brigades in motion

Nevertheless, the machinery set in motion was considerable. The emergency services set up a collection point at a supermarket at the entrance to Grafing. The location of the scene proved to be tricky, reports the district fire council. In the wooded area between Haidling and the Elkofen railway underpass, the rescuers had to walk through the undergrowth to the track. Using a thermal imaging camera and fans, they examined and cooled the train brake.

The railway line remained closed for about an hour until a DB emergency manager was able to release the line.

The fire brigades of Ebersberg, Grafing, Elkofen, Kirchseeon, Eglharting, Forstinning and Loitersdorf as well as hazardous goods and respiratory protection specialists from the district fire inspectorate, a drone team from the Poing fire brigade and a contact person from the Federal Agency for Technical Relief Markt Schwaben were deployed.

Similar incidents have already occurred in the past, such as last summer between Grafing and Kirchseeon. Due to the high risk potential, a complex initial alarm is usually raised, even if the operation should then turn out to be harmless.

You can read even more news from the Ebersberg region here. By the way: Everything from the region can also be found in our regular Ebersberg newsletter.