Explosion at Augsburg main railway station: two injured, hours-long closures
An unknown object exploded against 3.15 a.m. in a building passage near Augsburg main railway station. Two young people were slightly injured.
Detonation in Augsburg passage – bomb experts deployed for hours
A night-time explosion in a building passage near Augsburg main railway station has injured two people and paralysed the entire railway station operations for several hours. As reported by WELT, an unknown object detonated at approximately 3.15 a.m. in the passage. A 17-year-old and an 18-year-old sustained blast injuries. Investigators believe that both became victims by chance as they were passing through.
Several media outlets reported that it was a hand grenade. The police did not initially confirm this. "That is all subject to investigation," said a police spokesperson. The Augsburger Allgemeine and Bild reported that the detonation occurred in front of a Turkish jeweller's shop. Whether the attack was deliberately targeted at the business remained unclear. "Those are currently speculations," the spokesperson said.
The force of the explosion damaged window panes in the surrounding area. The affected building complex is a larger ensemble with several medical surgeries and a number of shops.
Approximately four hours after the initial explosion, an unknown object triggered a bomb alarm in the neighbouring railway station building. The police sealed off the entire station area and completely halted train traffic. For over an hour, both regional and ICE services were affected. Augsburg lies on the heavily travelled route between Munich and Stuttgart; the closure affected numerous commuters during morning rush hour.
Bomb experts from the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office as well as explosives detection dogs assisted Augsburg criminal police on site. The suspicious object in the station building ultimately proved to be harmless. Trains were subsequently able to resume operation, although Deutsche Bahn indicated there could be subsequent delays and short-notice train cancellations.
The main railway station was released in the morning. The vicinity of the night-time explosion, however, remained cordoned off. "The road closures will be maintained due to crime scene work," the police spokesperson said. According to the Augsburg public transport authority, the major operation led to significant disruptions to local transport. Bus routes and trams were unable to serve stops near the station for a time; replacement buses took over operations and regular lines were diverted to alternative terminus stations.
Source: WELT