They had probably overlooked roaring trains: two people died in North Rhine-Westphalia in two incidents within a few hours.
Altena/Weilerswist (dpa/lnw) - In two accidents within a short period of time, two men were hit by freight trains early on Tuesday morning and fatally injured. A 38-year-old died in Weilerswist (Euskirchen district) trying to cross a level crossing with the barriers closed, the police said. In Altena (Märkischer Kreis), a 54-year-old was hit on the platform by a freight train on the head. In both cases, the railway lines were closed for several hours.
The 38-year-old must have overlooked the arriving freight train around 6.40 a.m. in Weilerswist, said a police spokesman in Euskirchen. "We're assuming there was an accident." Witnesses said the man tried to reach the other side at the last moment.
In Altena, the 54-year-old emptied a bottle into the track bed and leaned forward, said a spokesman for the Märkischer Kreis district police authority. He must have overlooked a passing freight train that hit him on the head. The man died on the platform. One does not assume suicide or outside influence, but rather a tragic accident, said the police spokesman. Police were called to the accident around 5:25 a.m.
