Hundreds Rescued From 122° German Trains

The high technology of a modern German train whose windows don't open backfired badly yesterday when the air conditioning broke on 3 trains, sending temperatures inside the trains to 122 degrees and forcing the evacuation of more than 1,000 Deutsche Bahn passengers. One of the trains lost its air conditioning so far from a station that by the time passengers were able to exit, 8 had to be hospitalized for heat exhaustion and another 44 needed medical treatment.

The passengers rescued from an ICE train at the Bielefeld station were suffering from hyperventilation, vertigo, overheating, and headaches. Germany, which usually has temperate summer weather, is currently in the throes of a severe heat wave, with temperatures reaching 104 degrees. Deutsche Bahn officials blamed the air conditioning failure on the unusual heat conditions, AP reports.
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