Czech railway faces storm‑damaged track closure and freight wagon fire

Heavy thunderstorms on Monday soaked the railway line near Čkyně in the Prachatice district, causing the track to become waterlogged. Officials said repairs will continue until mid‑August, leaving the line out of service for weeks. The storms prompted around 150 fire‑brigade calls across South Bohemia, with fallen trees and flooding as the main reasons.

On July 2, fire crews in Skalice nad Svitavou extinguished a blaze in a freight wagon loaded with wood. The fire, traced to a hot particle from the overhead power line collector, caused about 30 000 CZK in damage while protecting cargo valued at roughly 1 million CZK. The incident was brought under control within two hours.

Both events highlight ongoing safety and maintenance challenges for the Czech rail network.