A German Army hospital train full of wounded which had stopped briefly at the station was rear-ended some time around 11 pm by a train carrying a few thousand refugees from Osterode and Mohrungen.

The hospital train, leaving its wrecked wagons behind, was able to proceed towards the west towards Preußisch Holland and Elbing and escape.

However, three to four thousand refugees were left waiting for a replacement train that never arrived.

At dawn on 22 January a Soviet Army unit consisting of tanks and infantry arrived, and, possibly due to the presence of some German soldiers in uniform, opened fired on the many people and buildings at the station, killing 140 to 150.

The few German soldiers were taken prisoners, and a guard troop was set to make sure the refugees remained in place.