At least one dead after car crashes through German Christmas market, public broadcaster reports

Berlin
CNN
—

At least one person has died after a car plowed into a crowd at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, police said, according to local public broadcaster MDR.

Between 60 and 80 people were also injured, fire and rescue services told CNN. According to MDR, the driver of the car that plowed through the crowd was arrested.

Social media footage verified by CNN shows the moment a black car drove directly into the crowd at the busy Christmas market.

In the video, dozens of people crowd the market stalls when the vehicle plows straight into them. You can see some people running away from the car in panic, others rushing into the stalls. As the car leaves the square, bodies and debris are strewn across the narrow street.

Extensive police measures are currently underway on site, the Magdeburg police said in a post on X.

The MDR reported that the Prime Minister of Saxony-Anhalt, Reiner Haseloff, was on his way to Magdeburg, west of Berlin.

“This is a terrible event, especially now in the run-up to Christmas,” said Haseloff, according to MDR.

Magdeburg is the state capital of Saxony-Anhalt and has around 240,000 inhabitants.

According to the market website, the Christmas market will be open from November 22nd to December 29th. It has around 140 market stalls as well as an ice skating rink, a Ferris wheel and a children’s playground.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

CNN’s Melissa Gray and Lauren Kent contributed to this report.