Hundreds rescued from overheated trains in Germany

By VERENA SCHMITT-ROSCHMANN, Associated Press BERLIN – A grueling heat wave shut down the air conditioning in three high-tech trains in Germany, leaving dozens of passengers near collapse trapped in temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit), authorities said Sunday.

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At least 52 people needed medical treatment and about 1,000 people had to switch trains, the national railway system, Deutsche Bahn, said. All three modern ICE trains — whose windows do not open — were headed west from Berlin on Saturday, Deutsche Bahn spokesman Juergen Kornmann said. While two lost their air conditioning fairly close to a station and could be emptied quickly, a third heated up some distance before reaching the city of Bielefeld. More...

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