Gütrzug captures sleeping man in Verden: tragic accident on tracks

Gütrzug captures sleeping man in Verden: tragic accident on tracks

In the night from July 15 to July 16, 2025, a tragic event occurred in the Verden train station, Lower Saxony. A 52-year-old man who had apparently fallen asleep on the tracks was hit by a freight train and fatally injured. The incident happened at 1:57 a.m., as a construction worker who worked on an underpass in the train station, discovered the man in the track bed and immediately informed the police. Despite an emergency braking of the train driver, the train could not stop in time, reported [Stern.de] (https://www.stern.de/news/auf-leisen-schlafender-mann-niedersachsen-von-zug-get- and-getetet-35898162.html).

The accident led to the blocking of the train station for about four hours, which led to considerable delays in train traffic between Bremen and Nienburg. An ICE also failed, which also disturbed the already contaminated rail traffic, such as the Harke reported.

Security on rail systems

This incident is not only tragic, but also highlights a highlight of the safety situation on rail systems. In recent years there has been an increase in people who are unauthorized to stay on rail facilities, be it for walking or for photos. Children and adolescents in particular often underestimate the dangers that go from track systems, such as the federal police in their campaign "Be safe on the road!" makes impressive.

The safety rules are clear: railway tracks must not be entered, climbing or driving on trains is also prohibited. The overhead lines lead to life -threatening power of 15,000 volts. Distracts from cell phones and music can also be very dangerous. The federal police recommend that awareness of these risks in both schools and in the family group to avoid accidents such as those in Verden ([bundespolizei.de] (https://bundenpolizei.de/aktuelles/icherheit-auf-bahnlagen-tipps-Ter- Federal Police).