Railway arson probe over third station blaze - Railway line fire incidents under state investigation
Cable Fire Disrupts German Rail Services in North Rhine-Westphalia
A cable fire that occurred on a non-electrified freight railway line for coal transports near Webau, a district of Hohenmölsen, has caused significant disruptions to German railway operations. The incident, which was deliberately set by unknown individuals on Friday evening, has paralyzed the nationwide central north-south axis of Deutsche Bahn.
The fire was reported by a spokesperson for the Halle police station in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. The affected area is approximately 100 by 40 centimeters, and the total length of the cables affected is around 100 meters. Deutsche Bahn has confirmed the incident, and after extensive repairs, train traffic on the heavily frequented Duisburg-Düsseldorf line has been resumed. However, full functionality is expected to be restored until Monday.
Passenger traffic was not affected by the cable fire. The affected signal box has been temporarily restored, and the line has been reopened. The state of North Rhine-Westphalia, where the suspected arson cases occurred, is cooperating with the State Protection agency in investigating the incident.
This is not the first time that German railway infrastructure has been targeted by arson attacks. In early August 2025, multiple suspected arson attacks occurred, including a second arson attack within two days on a key rail line in Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia. These cable fires are believed to be deliberate and are disrupting rail services.
German authorities have attributed these attacks to left-wing extremists and are investigating the recurrent sabotage pattern. The fires were specifically started in cable ducts along the railway lines, with Deutsche Bahn reporting three such deliberate cable fires in total by early August. Investigations involve the State Protection agencies in affected federal states such as Saxony-Anhalt and North Rhine-Westphalia.
Notably, a fire set under a railway line in Hirschaid, Bavaria, on July 4, 2025, involving wooden pallets and slats, severely damaged the railway bridge above and shut down the high-speed rail connection between Berlin and Munich. Deutsche Bahn announced the repairs would extend into mid-July, causing significant delays and rerouting of ICE trains. The Bamberg police initiated an arson investigation, though no suspects were detained and no group claimed responsibility at that time.
The cable fire in North Rhine-Westphalia has more impact than the one in Southern Saxony-Anhalt, as it has disrupted the nationwide central north-south axis of Deutsche Bahn. The police in North Rhine-Westphalia are also investigating the cable fires and suspect sabotage. The authorities are urging anyone with information about these incidents to come forward and help bring those responsible to justice.
- Despite the ongoing disruptions due to cable fires on railways, including the latest one in North Rhine-Westphalia, the community is rallying to support affected passengers and railway employees, offering community aid and advocating for improved infrastructure protection.
- As the politics surrounding the recurring rail arson attacks intensify, general-news outlets continue to cover the story extensively, shedding light on the significance of vocational training for railway workers, particularly in the installation, maintenance, and protection of critical infrastructure like cable lines.
