Nine hurt in blast at German station

An explosion tore through the entrance tunnel to a central Düsseldorf commuter train station yesterday, injuring nine people, including a pregnant woman who lost her unborn baby. The woman, in her 20s, also had a leg amputated, police said. A man was also in critical condition.

An explosion tore through the entrance tunnel to a central Düsseldorf commuter train station yesterday, injuring nine people, including a pregnant woman who lost her unborn baby. The woman, in her 20s, also had a leg amputated, police said. A man was also in critical condition.

Police ruled out accidental causes and said the blast in the heavily used station was likely to have been caused by an explosive device designed to send off dangerous shrapnel - possibly a fragmentation grenade or something home-made.

Police said they did not believe the attack was politically motivated, but were not ruling anything out. "There was no warning beforehand and so far we haven't found any note claiming responsibility," said a police spokesman.

The explosion appeared to be aimed at causing injury and not damaging the building, said a spokesman for the Düsseldorf fire department.

Robert Schweds, who works at a kiosk outside the station, said: "It was like the bang of a hand grenade or a bomb explosion." Schendran Swaminathan, who runs a nearby pub, said: "My whole body shook."

All train traffic between Düsseldorf and Duisburg was cut off for hours, and train officials said delays were expected throughout the evening. (AP)