Rail disruption in Netherlands after cable duct overheating

Train services between Rotterdam and destinations in the south of the Netherlands were suspended on Monday due to overheating in a cable duct, which caused signaling and switch failures, railway infrastructure manager ProRail said.

The incident occurred near Rotterdam Stadion station, where cables began smoldering, disrupting rail traffic on routes connecting Rotterdam with cities including Dordrecht and Breda, according to broadcaster NOS.

Dutch rail operator NS said a limited number of replacement buses are being deployed between Rotterdam and Dordrecht, as well as Rotterdam and Zwijndrecht.

ProRail said repairs are expected to continue beyond the end of Monday's timetable, as crews work to replace 299 damaged cables in the affected duct.

The disruption is expected to continue until Tuesday morning, affecting both domestic services and the Eurostar connection to Brussels.

Five trains came to a standstill following the malfunction but were able to continue their journeys under their own power because the electricity supply to the overhead lines remained available.

The cause of the overheating has not yet been determined.

ProRail said an investigation is underway together with a contractor.

The Netherlands is among the countries affected by the heat wave in Europe, where temperatures reached 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit) last week.