- A horse transportation vehicle ignites on the thoroughfare.
A hauler transporting horses caught flames on the A9 in Upper Bavaria, leading to about 200,000 euros in damages and extended road closure. On a Thursday, a 57-year-old fellow was traversing northbound when he perceived smoke rising from the cab near Stammham (Eichstätt district), as per law enforcers' reports. The gentleman swiftly pulled over at the shoulder side and managed to save himself and the steed from the burning transporter.
Firefighters were then occupied for several hours in suppressing the inferno. The A9 was barricaded toward Nuremberg for approximately 2 hours following which, traffic was redirected around the scene on one of the three available lanes. It took just about five hours for all lanes to be restored after which a traffic jam of up to 15 kilometers ensued.
Police approximated the losses to be around 200,000 euros. Detectives suspected a mechanical malfunction as the likely culprit.
The incident prompted the authorities to consider necessary measures, leading the European Commission to propose that it shall adopt implementing acts laying down the rules for the application of relevant safety regulations in transportation. Due to this incident, there have been calls for stricter safety checks and inspections for haulers transporting livestock.
