Train carrying football fans catches fire in Berlin
October 19, 2019
A train carrying hundreds of football fans caught fire at Bellevue station in Berlin on Saturday night. Three people were injured by smoke inhalation, the city's fire department told Germany's Deutsche Presse Agentur.
Berlin police told the SID news agency that a technical failure sparked the fire as the train was pulling out of the station.
According to the fire department spokesperson, the train is owned and operated by a private company.
Fans of SC Freiburg were on board traveling back to the city in southern Germany following Saturday's Bundesliga match against Union Berlin. The capital club offered traveling fans overnight accommodation in their VIP section of the stadium.
Local media tweeted a video of the burning train car and the fire department's response.
One of the train cars was completely engulfed in flames and the rest of the train was evacuated, along with two local trains that pulled into the station as the fire broke out.
Authorities said local and long-distance trains are not running on the line passing through Bellevue station, which is located one stop to the west of Berlin's main station.
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wmr/sms (dpa,SID)