Aschersleben (dpa/sa) – A horse that had escaped was hit by a train on a railway line near Aschersleben (Salzlandkreis) and was fatally injured. As the federal police in Magdeburg announced on Tuesday, the owner of the animal had made the engine driver aware of the horse in the track area on Monday morning. He then initiated emergency braking, but was unable to prevent a collision. The railway line had to be completely closed. Passengers on the train were not harmed by the braking, it said. The police have meanwhile initiated criminal proceedings for dangerous interventions in rail traffic.