A tragic series of accidents on the A38 in Saxony-Anhalt led to one death and a massive fire involving explosive gas cylinders, resulting in the highway being closed for at least two days.
(Source: Eric Pannier/7aktuell.de)
The incident began on Thursday evening when a man, following a breakdown, parked his car on the hard shoulder and exited his vehicle in the direction of Göttingen. A truck struck the man, causing fatal injuries, according to a police spokesperson.
As a result, a traffic jam formed just behind the Rippachtal interchange. Later that night, another truck crashed into the end of the jam, igniting both its cargo and that of a third truck involved.
One of the trucks at the end of the jam was transporting hazardous materials, including nitrogen, oxygen, and helium cylinders, according to a fire department spokesperson. As the fire spread from one truck to the other, numerous gas cylinders exploded.
Witnesses described towering flames at the scene. Firefighters initially had to let the fire burn as they could not approach due to the intense explosions. Firefighters from as far as 50 kilometers away in Leipzig were called in to assist. Ten people sustained minor injuries.
The A38 towards Göttingen will remain closed for at least two more days to allow for recovery operations and road repairs. Traffic is being rerouted via the Hermsdorf interchange, the Erfurt interchange, and the South Harz triangle.
