A train station in Augsburg, southern Germany, was closed as police investigated a small explosion that occurred early Wednesday morning. The explosion resulted in minor acoustic trauma for two passers-by, aged 17 and 18. According to reports from Bild, police indicated that a hand grenade exploded outside a jewelry shop adjacent to the station, causing minor damage to the building's facade, although police have not confirmed this detail. The station was completely shut down after a bomb-sniffing dog discovered a second 'suspicious object,' which was later identified as fragments of the grenade.
As of 8:30 a.m. local time, rail service was suspended, and parts of the station remained closed while police continued their investigation. The State Criminal Police Office (LKA) is on-site with an explosive-disposal robot. Police first responded to the incident around 5 a.m. local time. Augsburg is approximately 55 kilometers (35 miles) west of Munich.
In a separate incident, police are investigating a disruption at a power station in Bergheim, near Cologne. Following a short circuit at the power station on Tuesday evening, several power lines failed. A police spokesperson stated that the current investigation suggests this was not a technical malfunction but rather a deliberate act. No power outage occurred in the surrounding area as a result of this incident.
The investigation comes amid heightened tensions following an attempted sabotage at the Jänschwalde coal-fired power plant in Brandenburg, where police found explosive devices near extra-high-voltage power lines. The situation is under investigation as authorities seek to determine the circumstances surrounding both incidents.