janko,

Towing is the safest option. While driving it until the temperature is indicated at 100 and then stopping will probably work, there is a chance you have cooked the gage, and it could take you several hours. If the gage is shot, you will not know the actual temperature, which is dangerous.

What did you find under the hood. It is unusual for the fan belt to be off without some "event" to take it off. I am curious if the alternator bracket broke or the fan belt broke. In either case there is typically a little noise to go along with the event, and I have never had this happen on start up. Every time I have broken a fan belt (twice, once on a Fiat 124 Sport Spyder in BC on my way to Alaska, and once on my 1975 240D in Anchorage) the car was running and the fan belt break was very apparent to your ears. In addition, all the dash lights came on, so you could not miss the event.

Good Luck, Jim

__________________
Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)