A car bomb has exploded in central Berlin killing the driver. The huge blast shook the German capital at around 8am this morning. A
picture posted by the force showed the wreckage of a silver Volkswagen
Passat estate on the street with its windows blown out and its front end
smashed in.
"Our investigators believe it was an explosive device that caused the vehicle to explode," said Berlin police on Twitter.
Residents in the western district of Charlottenburg were warned to close windows and stay indoors as investigations continued.
A short time later they were reassured the scene is safe.
Police initially thought the car had been destroyed as a result of a collision.
But investigations prompted the bomb squad to be called in and an explosives expert was seen examining the wreckage.
The
car was driving through central Berlin when it crashed into a parked
Porsche then exploded leaving the wreckage across the roadway.
An eyewitness told how the driver was able to get out of the car following the explosion and then collapsed in the road.
Marli Grunewald wrote on Der Tagesspiegel: "The car went out of control and collided with a parked Porsche.
"The driver is still got out and collapsed. People from the building next door began to resuscitate him.
"Shortly thereafter, several fire engines and ambulances arrived. Shortly after 8, a rescue helicopter.
"Debris spread over several metres down the street. I didn't see any other injured persons.
"But the bang was extremely noisy, I felt the shock in my apartment.
"The hood has also been not torn. Only very dented.
"I am absolutely no expert, but it does not necessarily look like the engine compartment exploded.
"The car looks just all very battered. The man also had particularly bloody legs.
"It may be that the explosion came from underneath the car, purely speculative."
The homicide police division is investigating but the reasons behind the explosion remain unclear.
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