Explosion near Augsburg main railway station: Two injured, rail traffic suspended for hours
An unknown object exploded around 3.15am in a building passage near Augsburg's main railway station. Two young people were slightly injured and rail services were interrupted for hours.
Detonation in Augsburg city passage shakes railway station district
An explosion in a building passage near Augsburg's main railway station slightly injured two people overnight and triggered lengthy closures in the city centre. According to WELT, the detonation occurred around 3.15am. A 17-year-old and an 18-year-old each sustained acoustic trauma. Investigators believe both were random passers-by who happened to be caught in the incident.
Several media outlets reported that the exploded object was a hand grenade. Police did not initially confirm this. "That is all subject to investigation," said a police spokesperson. "Augsburger Allgemeine" and "Bild" reported that the detonation occurred in front of a Turkish jeweller — however, it remained unconfirmed whether the business was actually the target.
The building complex in which the explosion occurred houses several medical practices and a number of shops. Window panes in the surrounding area were damaged. The spokesperson rejected speculation about a targeted attack on one of the businesses there: "These are currently speculations."
Bomb alarm at main railway station
Approximately four hours after the overnight explosion, an unknown object in the railway station building itself triggered a bomb alarm. Police cordoned off the entire railway station area; rail traffic came to a complete standstill. Both regional and ICE services were affected for more than an hour.
Augsburg lies on the heavily used route between Munich and Stuttgart. During morning rush hour, the closure affected numerous commuters, particularly on the corridor between Augsburg and Munich. Bomb disposal experts from the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office and explosive detection dogs assisted Augsburg criminal police at the scene for hours.
The suspicious object in the station eventually proved to be harmless. The main railway station was reopened in the morning; however, Deutsche Bahn (DB) warned of possible follow-on delays and short-notice train cancellations. The immediate area of the overnight explosion remained cordoned off. "The road closures are being maintained due to crime scene work," said the police spokesperson.
Local transport significantly affected
According to Augsburg Transport Association, the large-scale operation led to noticeable disruptions to local transport. Buses and trams were unable to serve stops near the railway station; replacement buses were deployed and regular routes were diverted to other terminals.
Source: WELT