News & Reviews News Wire Wind-blown beer kills six on Danish passenger train NEWSWIRE

Wind-blown beer kills six on Danish passenger train NEWSWIRE

By Keith Fender | January 2, 2019

| Last updated on November 3, 2020


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GreatBeltDenmark
Great Belt, Denmark
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LONDON — At least six passengers on board a train on the Great Belt route in Denmark were killed this morning when high winds blew cases of beer from a passing freight train into their passenger cars. The beer was being transported in curtain-sided trailers on flat cars. It is believed that the winds ripped open the trailers.

The engineer of the passenger train, which was a modern 100-mph DMU, braked quickly to try to minimize the danger. There were 131 passengers and crew on board the train. Early reports suggested only minor injuries, but Danish police had confirmed six deaths by mid-morning. The accident and storm-force winds forced closure of the route.

The Great Belt route comprises two long bridges, totaling 8.4 miles, connected by a 5-mile rail tunnel crossing the part of the Baltic Sea. The bridges connect the Danish islands of Zealand and Funen across the Great Belt strait. It opened in 1998, replacing train ferry routes that previously connected the islands. The rail line forms part of the main route between the Danish capital Copenhagen and western Denmark. It also forms part of a freight route connecting Germany with Denmark and Sweden.

8 thoughts on “Wind-blown beer kills six on Danish passenger train NEWSWIRE

  1. Not to make light of it, but killed by flying beer has got to be a first.

    The above comments are general in nature and do not form the basis for an attorney/client relationship. They do not constitute legal advice. I am not your attorney. Find your own damn lawyer.

  2. From what I read from German news source the freight train from DB Cargo was hauling a trailer with curtainside trailers filled with empty beer bottles/ cases for Carlsberg Brewery. The winds were blowing At 90 Km/hr. At first there were no reports of injuries, but later 6 deaths reported. It was worst rail accident since 1988.

  3. I think it was the whole container, full of beer, that the passenger train hit. Wind was not excessive at the time.

  4. Not to make light of this terrible tragedy, but I will note this is a rare example of wagonload in Europe. In most Euro nations 100% of this type of cargo is on the motorways. It pleases me (once again, not to make light of the deaths) that Denmark is an exception.

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