Suspicious Fire at Wuppertal Railway Area Investigated as Possible Attack

A fire incident that occurred in the railway area near Wuppertal-Oberbarmen has prompted an investigation by the state security service, with authorities suspecting it to be a deliberate act. According to police representatives, the situation is being treated as a targeted arson attack on critical infrastructure. Currently, there are no leads on possible suspects.

The fire was extinguished swiftly by the local fire department late on Friday evening, and it did not disrupt train services. Investigators revealed that the fire involved a heating system for railway switches, which is designed to prevent freezing during winter months. However, as the system was not operational at the time, there were no impacts on train operations.

The Deutsche Bahn indicated that initial findings suggest an accelerant may have been used to ignite the fire. The blaze did not occur directly on the switches but within the surrounding area. Additionally, it appears that two cables were cut intentionally, raising concerns about the nature of the incident.

The Federal Police confirmed that the incident took place at the Wuppertal-Oberbarmen station on the Aachen-Kassel route, which is significant for both regional and long-distance train traffic. As of Saturday morning, the Deutsche Bahn reported no new updates regarding potential impacts on train services.

Following the incident, law enforcement conducted a thorough search of the surrounding area for any additional suspicious activity. This included the deployment of a police helicopter, although nothing of concern was discovered.

This incident follows a similar case in North Rhine-Westphalia, where incendiary devices were ignited along the Düsseldorf-Duisburg railway, leading to significant disruption as cables for switch and signal control were damaged.