Germany Investigates Possible Sabotage After Fire on Main Railway Line

A fire broke out on Friday morning on a heavily used railway route between Düsseldorf and Cologne, forcing a halt to train services. State railway operator Deutsche Bahn reported that the embankment caught fire in two places between Langenfeld and Leverkusen. Firefighters extinguished the flames, but the fire damaged several signal cables, bringing rail traffic on the section to a complete stop.

Cologne police's state security unit has taken over the investigation. A police spokesperson said investigators are checking whether the fire was set intentionally and whether a criminal offense occurred. Sources indicated that a technical malfunction is considered unlikely, leading to heightened suspicion of sabotage.

Rail traffic was still disrupted on Saturday. Local and long-distance trains are being diverted, delayed, or canceled. A Deutsche Bahn spokesperson told news agency DPA that repair work would continue at least until Saturday afternoon.