A police spokesperson said it appeared the tram, which was travelling on the U72 line in Düsseldorf-Holthausen, had derailed due to a technical issue with the signal box.
The tram was on Bonner Straße at around 5:40am when the derailment happened. The vehicle then collided with another tram.
A total of 13 people were injured – including the driver – with one person sustaining serious injuries. Emergency services said there were no life-threatening conditions.
“We had to transport nine people to nearby hospitals by ambulance,” a fire and rescue spokesperson told RP Online. Some other passengers with non-serious injuries were treated at a nearby hotel.
Fire and rescue workers were on site throughout the morning.
A spokesperson for Rheinbahn told reporters that the recovery operation would be difficult.
The first car of the U72 tram heading towards Benrath had derailed and come to a halt at an angle. "The second car wagon then crashed into the first, and the two became wedged together," the spokesperson said. A crane has been requested to assist with the recovery.
Two Rheinbahn power poles were also damaged in the accident, one of them severely.
Travellers will see disruption to the tram network and nearby roads. The area around the crash was closed off on Wednesday morning, resulting in major traffic jams.
Some tram services are cancelled. According to Rheinbahn, the U72 line currently terminates at the Werstener Dorfstraße stop. The section between Opladener Straße and Benrath Betriebshof is not in service.
"There will definitely be no more trains running there today: Wednesday," said the Rheinbahn spokesperson, adding that disruption could last several days.
Mayor Stephan Keller (CDU), who is currently in Berlin for a meeting, said: "I have seen the pictures of the collided and derailed light rail in Holthausen. I wish all those injured a speedy and full recovery. My thanks go to all the emergency services involved."
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