Shock in Bad Ischl: Car crashes into train – driver uninjured!

Shock in Bad Ischl: Car crashes into train – driver uninjured!

A dramatic accident occurred on Tuesday afternoon when a car collided with a train on an unguarded railway crossing in Bad Ischl, Gmunden district. The driver of the car, a 49-year-old, apparently missed the red light at the railway barrier due to the low, blinding sun, which led to the collision at 3:05 p.m. The violent impact caused the car to be thrown against a concrete overhead power line pole and eventually land in an adjacent field. Despite the enormous damage, the driver, the train driver and the approximately 100 passengers remained uninjured, as the police report. A large contingent of police, fire brigade and the ÖBB emergency service were quickly called to the scene of the accident after several calls were received indicating the loud bangs and horns of the approaching train.

Rescue workers quickly on site

The Bad Ischl volunteer fire department was on site quickly and was able to salvage the completely destroyed vehicle. The shocked driver was able to get out of his car on his own and was standing there uninjured when emergency services arrived. Firefighters also ensured that train passengers were safely redirected to a replacement bus after clearing the accident site of debris and vehicle parts. It was a happy ending for everyone involved because despite the dramatic circumstances, no one was injured, which is certainly a positive result in such a critical situation, as NÖN reported.

However, this incident once again sheds light on the dangers at unguarded railway crossings, where glare from the sun and lack of visibility of oncoming trains can quickly lead to serious accidents. Several security measures and educational initiatives are being called for so that such incidents can perhaps be avoided in the future, the Kleine Zeitung reported.