On the morning of February 24, 2025, Saarbrücken witnessed a grave incident as two city buses collided head-on, resulting in multiple injuries, with at least 33 people hurt, among them kindergarten children and both bus drivers. The accident occurred shortly after 9 AM on Breslauer Straße, right by the Saarbasar shopping center, sparking a significant emergency response from local authorities.
The rapid response involved numerous emergency services, with over 20 vehicles from the rescue services, along with firefighters and police units dispatched to the scene to tend to the injured. The police reported approximately 41 individuals were on the buses at the time of the accident, which has been described as one with mass casualties due to the number of injuries.
Eyewitness reports and the police indicated the buses collided at the intersection near the shopping complex. While the specific cause of the accident remains unclear, investigations are underway to determine why the buses collided so violently.
Reinhold Jost, the Minister of the Interior, confirmed the involvement of a group of kindergarten children from the nearby Eschberg, who were on their way to the new police inspection building on Mainzer Straße when the tragedy struck. All the attendants were transported to nearby hospitals, with efforts underway to arrange care for the children involved. Jost shared comforting news stating, “My thoughts are with the injured and their families,” and added, “Thankfully, there are currently no indications of anyone being in life-threatening condition.”
According to police sources, at least 28 individuals were taken to local hospitals for treatment. Among the injured are 12 young children aged between three and 80 years, and nine individuals have been reported to sustain serious injuries, though the full scope and nature of their conditions were not immediately confirmed by authorities.
Following the serious incident, both local and state officials, including Mayor Uwe Conradt, inspected the site and went through the events with the emergency responders at the scene. Conradt expressed his gratitude for the prompt and professional response of the emergency teams, emphasizing the importance of their cooperation, saying, “This operation has shown once again how important good and professional cooperation of all involved is.”
After about five hours, efforts to clear the site concluded, allowing the reopening of Breslauer Straße. Authorities had closed the area earlier to facilitate rescue operations, which included airlift support for severely injured passengers. During this time, notification procedures for families of the injured were initiated.
Discussions surrounding the nature of the accident also mentioned potential follow-up safety inspections focusing on the routes taken by the buses. Reports indicate the collision was incredibly severe, elevated by the fact both buses were rendered total losses, incurring significant damage estimated at several hundred thousand euros.
Authorities are actively collecting witness testimonies and urging anyone with information about the events leading up to the crash to come forward to aid the investigation.
Later, it was confirmed through various communications outlets, including the Deutsche Presse-Agentur, the joint response of emergency services has been praised, with officials reiterwinning their commitment to ensuring such accidents are thoroughly investigated to improve safety measures for the community.
The incident serves as yet another reminder of the unpredictability of transportation systems and the existing vulnerabilities within urban settings. With memories of this event fresh, families of the injured are beginning to cope with the aftermath, and community members extend their prayers for the recovery of those affected.