Rescue workers in action: large-scale exercise in the ICE tunnel near Roth!

Rescue workers in action: large-scale exercise in the ICE tunnel near Roth!

On the night of Saturday, July 12, 2025, around 500 rescue workers from various emergency services in the Roth district carried out an impressive large-scale exercise in the ICE tunnel. The aim of this exercise was to train the procedures and necessary measures in the event of a train accident. On site, employee Marco Frömter documented the exercise with impressive images that captured the exciting moments as the emergency services ran through various scenarios. As nn.de reports, this was not just a simple test, but extensive preparation for possible emergencies in the dark confines of the tunnel.

For example, in a simulated scenario, the fire department first had to turn off the power before they could advance to the scene of the accident. These are the shoes that prioritize safety over efficiency, because the safety of emergency responders and potential injured people is the highest priority. During the exercise, screams of injured people were heard in the tunnel, which highlighted the reality of the situation, even though it was a training operation, as br.de points out.

The challenges of tunnel use

The conditions were challenging: darkness and the switched off power of the overhead line made the rescue operation more difficult. When operating in a tunnel, special safety precautions must be taken to make the rescue operation efficient. Only the fire department had access to the scene of the accident in order to avoid the potential danger of a fire outbreak.

Time was of the essence: the first rescue of victims took almost an hour, and the injured were pulled out of the tunnel using special devices on a rescue track. The implementation was strictly coordinated, with the emergency services being dispatched from the control center in the fire station. Mayor Dominik Sauerteig, who observed the entire process, was satisfied with the results. The Coburg Clinic was also involved to treat the injured in an emergency.

Improvisation and preparation

The exercise itself was carefully prepared over months to create realistic conditions and procedures. Items such as tents and hot drinks to provide participants with some comfort on the cold night were noted as suggestions for improvement. Participants who managed to get to safety expressed complaints of cold and thirst, further highlighting the unexpected challenges.

The collaboration between different organizations is particularly exciting. In addition to the rescue workers, the railway, the police and the technical relief agency were also involved in the exercise. This corresponds to the procedure that can also be observed in other exercises, such as in the case of a train accident in the Bözberg tunnel, for which a large number of organizations were also involved in the preparations. bzbasel.ch reports that such exercises are often planned months in advance.

The sum of all these exercises and measures shows how important it is that rescue workers are well coordinated and prepared. Only through constant practice and teamwork can they react quickly and efficiently in an emergency. Whether in Cologne or in other regions, the emergency services use their skills to be ready at any time - come what may.