Overview

• The blaze started around 10:25 a.m. Tuesday during maintenance, after two technicians failed to extinguish it and firefighters worked into the afternoon.
• Police are weighing negligent ignition against a technical defect and have ruled out evidence of an attack at this stage.
• Large parts of the signalling equipment were destroyed, with damage estimated at a high six‑figure to low single‑million euro amount.
• The route remains restricted for an unspecified period, with RE1 buses operating between Möser and Magdeburg and RB40 buses between Biederitz and Burg.
• Long‑distance services are being rerouted, and ICE and IC stops in Brandenburg an der Havel and Potsdam are omitted.