Perilous Times and Climate Change
Heat Wave: Hundreds rescued from overheated trains in Germany
* From: AFP
* July 12, 2010 4:46AM
A HEATWAVE shut down the air conditioning in three high-tech trains in
Germany, leaving dozens of passengers near collapse trapped in
temperatures of up to 50C.
At least 52 people needed medical treatment and about 1,000 people had
to switch trains, the national railway system, Deutsche Bahn, said.
All three modern ICE trains - whose windows do not open - were headed
west from Berlin on Saturday, Deutsche Bahn spokesman Juergen Kornmann
said.
While two lost their air conditioning fairly close to a station and
could be emptied quickly, a third heated up some distance before
reaching the city of Bielefeld.
Mr Kornmann said eight people suffering from heat exhaustion needed to
be hospitalised in Bielefeld and another 44 needed medical treatment.
"We regret that some passengers suffered from health problems and even
had to be taken to the hospital," Deutsche Bahn manager Ulrich Homburg
said in a written statement. "We are shocked and want to apologise."
Ninety-one rescue staff called to Bielefeld station had to treat people
suffering from hyperventilation, vertigo, overheating, headaches, and
other symptoms, the local fire fighters said in a press release.
Among those needing treatment were 27 youths who were on their way back
from a class trip to Berlin, it said. The other youths continued their
journey on air-conditioned buses.
Hans-Dieter Muehlenberg, chief of a local rescue squad, was quoted by
the DAPD news agency as saying temperatures inside the train approached
50C.
Deutsche Bahn said, the trains' problems were caused by the heat
outside. Germany has gone through a severe heat wave with temperatures
approaching 40C.