Investigation launched after 7 killed in crash in Germany

An investigation was under way on Sunday into a devastating accident on a central German highway after a car crash resulted in seven fatalities, reported dpa.

Late on Saturday afternoon, three cars crashed into each other with great force on a bend, with two of the cars burning out completely.

On Sunday, an expert is to re-examine the accident site near the town of Bad Langensalza in the state of Thuringia, which was closed overnight, according to the police.

In addition to the dead, there were three injured, according to the fire brigade, one of whom was still in a life-threatening condition on Sunday morning. No information was given on the identity of the victims.

The accident occurred on a long bend in the B247 where the road has only one lane in each direction. According to initial information, one of the cars crossed into oncoming traffic for an initially unexplained reason and crashed into two oncoming vehicles.

The wreckage showed how violent the collision must have been: Two of the vehicles were destroyed beyond recognition, with one of the charred wrecks lying across the crash barrier, the other remaining on the road with its body mangled. The third car was lying overturned at the side of the road.

All the victims died in their vehicles. According to police, the bodies could only be recovered after the flames had been extinguished.

At times, residents in the vicinity were urged to keep windows and doors closed because of the toxic clouds of smoke.

Thuringia's Interior Minister Georg Maier thanked rescue workers for their efforts under difficult conditions and spoke of images that "will continue to have an effect for a long time."

He was deeply shocked, Maier told the Bild newspaper. "My thoughts are with the seriously injured and the relatives of the dead."

State Premier Bodo Ramelow also expressed his dismay and wrote on Twitter: "I mourn for the dead and feel for the relatives. So much life extinguished in seconds. What remains is bewilderment."