Drunk driver crashes truck into Altena’s river gauge house, risking collapse
A serious traffic accident in Altena, Märkischer Kreis, on Saturday night resulted in a flatbed truck with Romanian license plates crashing into a river gauge house. The impact severely damaged the structure, putting it at risk of collapse and likely requiring demolition. The driver was suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol.
The incident occurred at 23:30, with the truck carrying two passengers according to the driver's report. However, only the driver was found at the scene. Rescue efforts involved drones and swimmers searching the Lenne River for any missing persons, but no additional people were discovered despite an extensive search. A crane was later used to recover the vehicle from the damaged river gauge house.
The river gauge house in Altena is now at risk of collapse and may need to be demolished due to the severe impact. The driver of the truck was suspected of drink driving and is under investigation. Despite the search efforts, no other passengers were found, and the cause of the accident remains under investigation.
