BERLIN, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The number of injuries has risen to 25 as a high-speed train collided with a semi-trailer at a railway crossing in Hamburg, Germany, on Tuesday.
The accident occurred on the outskirts of Hamburg when an InterCity Express (ICE) train en route from Hamburg to Munich crashed into the semi-trailer at high speed. One passenger, a 55-year-old man, sustained critical injuries and died shortly after the collision.
Among the injured, six are reported to have sustained moderate injuries, according to German public broadcaster ARD's Tagesschau program. Eyewitnesses stated that the force of the collision shattered windows, particularly in the front carriages.
Reports suggest that the truck was attempting to cross the tracks when the crash occurred, and the driver managed to jump out just before the impact. The collision caused a large debris field, with heavy iron and track parts scattered around, as the semi-trailer was reportedly carrying railway tracks.
Despite the severity of the crash, fire department officials confirmed that the approximately 300 remaining passengers aboard the long-distance train were unharmed and have safely disembarked. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the accident.
