A freight train derailed in Essen, Germany on Monday evening. It was carrying hazardous materials, an immediate cause for alarm. One might recall the Czech derailment of last year. Thankfully, no damage was done to the wagons on Monday. Still, there is reason for concern: it seems that Germany has a case of foul play on its hands.
The derailment took place during the dark hours of the day: sometime before 22:40, when the police were informed of the incident. They found a partially derailed train, with the locomotive detached from the tracks by around 30 centimetres and the wagons still in their place.
Apart from the derailed train, the police also found a metal object on the tracks “placed on the tracks by unknown persons”, says Essen police. The train had run over the metal object and come to a halt a few hundred metres away.
The Essen police department says that “there are indications of a deliberate act”. It adds that “the criminal investigation department launched a comprehensive investigation that same night and is assuming the act was intentional.” German newspaper Bild on Tuesday reported that a train with American military equipment was scheduled to pass through the area on Monday evening, but authorities had refused to comment on this.