This paper looks at some of the lessons learned from the Kaprun funicular tunnel fire of 2000; the King's Cross underground station fire of 1987; the Baku subway fire of 1995 and the Channel Tunnel fire of 1996. Paul C. Miclea, Wan Ki Chow, Shen Wen Chien, Junmei Li, Ahmed H. Kashef, Kang Kai, Research output: Journal article publication Journal article Academic research peer-review. 1 Czech. MORE than 170 skiers and . In 1993, it was modernized. In 2022, the Heidelberger Bergbahn will The structural flaws of the funicular trains, especially the lack of safety mechanisms, were found to have played a role in the tragedy. The disaster killed 155 people. Everyone else aboard perished in the darkness after the blaze erupted at 9.30am near Kaprun, 9,000ft above sea level. Understand [] Kaprun III, with 113.6 m the tallest aerial tramway support pillar in the world. On 11 November 2000, 161 passengers and one conductor boarded the funicular train for an early morning trip to the slopes. Authorities have yet to discover the cause of the explosion. All Rights Reserved. The tragedy occurred Monday, when the Kitzsteinhorn-bound funicular burst into flames in a tunnel, trapping nearly all of its passengers. Today, the completely renovated MORE than 170 skiers and snowboarders, many of them children, choked and burnt to death yesterday when fire swept through a packed funicular train trapped inside a mountainside tunnel in the Austrian Alps. The Mooserboden hydroelectric plant uses water from two reservoirs held back by some of Austria's largest dam walls. @article{3e91232b8fab481f8f9eeb9311e08566. It was impossible to breathe." Planning was discontinued during the Great Depression and was not resumed until the Austrian Anschluss to Nazi Germany in 1938. The zoo set up a mock camping (). The conductor and the sole passenger on the railway's second train, which was descending the mountain in the same tunnel from above the burning carriage, also died of smoke inhalation. after changing to the vintage funicular at Molkenkur. Located at the foot of the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier, Kaprun is a year-round sports centre. The disaster killed 155 people (150 on the ascending train, two on the descending train and three in the mountain station). From his hospital bed he said: "It was pure panic. UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34548260848&partnerID=8YFLogxK. Construction stopped in 1942/43, and was restarted after the war by Allied-occupied Austria from 1947. The other three were found at a station stop at the top of the tunnel. There were 12 survivors. The son of Renate Fortyer, a hotelier in Kaprun, was near the upper terminus when the fire broke out. Absolutely heartbreaking. Commanded by Hermann Gring, construction began during World War II using prisoners of war from Belgium and other occupied countries and Jewish and Soviet forced labourers. author = "Miclea, {Paul C.} and Chow, {Wan Ki} and Chien, {Shen Wen} and Junmei Li and Kashef, {Ahmed H.} and Kang Kai". The cable car caught fire in a mountain tunnel, making it difficult to access for rescuers and for those trapped inside to escape (via UPI). For example, reliable and early fire detection in tunnels can provide the tunnel operator with early warnings of fire and its location, allowing for timely activation of the emergency response such as the emergency ventilation system. Authorities have yet to discover the cause of the explosion. An automatic safety feature triggered, which brought the train to a halt, and the conductor realized a fire had broken out. Heidelberger Bergbahn's tunnel and subterranean funicular were closed and If the steel cable was torn, as has been reported, the cable itself would run downhill and if it ran fast enough the friction could be the cause of the fire.". Austrian police said that most of the victims had been burnt to ashes by a fire so ferocious that it destroyed everything but the train's chassis. Dozens of children and teenagers were killed on the cable railway in the Alps' worst disaster. An avalanche killed 12 people last March south of Salzburg, in the same region. They turned and ran for their lives." Getting married? "Kaprun-Katastrophe: Ex-Anklgerin bricht das Schweigen nach Urteil", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kaprun_disaster&oldid=1147980225, Railway accidents and incidents in Austria, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 3 April 2023, at 09:55. On 19 February 2004, Judge Manfred Seiss acquitted all 16 suspects, including company officials, technicians, and government inspectors, clearing them of criminal negligence. A modern funicular car arrives in the lower station of the International tunnel fire-safety design practices. The third section, from the Krefeld Hut, is 2,192 metres (1.362 miles) long and climbs 575 metres. Germany > Gletscherbahn 2 was a funicular railway with two carriages running from Kaprun to the Kitzsteinhorn which opened on 23 March 1974. Even without the heat the fumes were absolutely terrible. The smoke continued to rise up the tunnel, reaching the Alpine Centre located at the top end of the track 2,500m (8,200ft) away. All but three of the victims were discovered inside the tunnel. The sustainability of existing tunnels, given the increased road traffic and changed vehicle mix, or the new rolling stocks, needs innovative design practices. Experts from the Austrian infrastructure ministry arrived at the scene to start their investigation, but officials said there were no plans to close the country's other underground funiculars. The sustainability of existing tunnels, given the increased road traffic and changed vehicle mix, or the new rolling stocks, needs innovative design practices. The Kaprun disaster was a fire that occurred in an ascending train in the tunnel of the Gletscherbahn Kaprun 2 funicular in Kaprun, Austria, on 11 November 2000. By evening, several hours after the blaze ended, plumes of smoke were still spewing from the tunnel entrance, as firemen wearing breathing gear worked their way down the tunnel. The victims were also thought to include two Americans from a ski club at a US military base in Germany. Residents and holidaymakers arrived in stunned silence at the village's Roman Catholic Church last night for a Mass, the first of many services to be held across the country after two days of national mourning were declared. [citation needed], A Chataprunnin (derived from Celtic for "whitewater") settlement in the Duchy of Bavaria was first mentioned in a 931 deed, documented as a possession held by the Counts of Falkenstein in 1166. Heading out the door? The carriages each had a maximum capacity of 180 passengers. All I wanted to do was to get out. Tunnel safety can only be improved if the lessons of past incidents are learned properly. Miclea PC, Chow WK, Chien SW, Li J, Kashef AH, Kai K. International tunnel fire-safety design practices. The passengers attempted to break the tough acrylic glass in an effort to escape. Austria ski tunnel fire case opens. The Kaprun disaster was a fire that occurred in an ascending train in the tunnel of the Gletscherbahn Kaprun 2 funicular in Kaprun, Austria on 11 November 2000. The passengers had no method of contacting the attendant. - Forbes and The Washington Post. The victims were skiers on their way to the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier. (Cars run underground between Kornmarkt, in the Altstadt, Unfortunately, most of them would never make it. The death count eclipsed the toll in the Italian ski resort of Cavalese in 1976 where 42 people died after a cable carrying suspended cars snapped. In 1606 Archbishop Wolf Dietrich Raitenau had the local burgrave beheaded for siding with local insurgents. cars and a tunnel with the latest fire-safety technology; The longer above-ground stretch It could carry up to 180 passengers. The 17-member Macedonian group was fatigued from their 24-hour journey to Austria and decided to rest instead of taking the funicular to Kitzsteinhorn. All rights reserved. Professor Joseph Nejez, a funicular train expert, said that the designers throughout the years had a perception that a fire could not occur since no fire had occurred in a funicular cabin prior to the Kaprun disaster. The smoke killed the attendant and the only passenger in the other identical train. On 11 November 2000, it was the site of the Kaprun disaster, in which 149 skiers lost their lives in a tunnel fire. Six more deaths occurred indirectly. Tony Blair was told that British skiers were believed to be among the dead when he phoned Wolfgang Schossel, the Austrian chancellor, to offer his condolences, Downing Street said. 21 days or longer. They were unable to escape the inferno and toxic fumes of the exploding cable car. This railway had the unusual track gauge of 946 millimeters, and a length of 3900 meters, of which 3300 meters was through a tunnel. Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! This section includes the world's tallest aerial lift pylon, a steel framework construction 113.9 metres (originally 106 meters) high. The twelve survivors of the disaster were the passengers who travelled downhill past the fire at the rear of the train, escaping the upward-rising fumes and smoke. The train involved in the disaster caught fire shortly after leaving the valley station and entered the tunnel where it came to a halt 600 metres from the lower end. For the Indigenous Australian ethnic group, see, "Dauersiedlungsraum der Gemeinden Politischen Bezirke und Bundeslnder - Gebietsstand 1.1.2018", "Einwohnerzahl 1.1.2018 nach Gemeinden mit Status, Gebietsstand 1.1.2018", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kaprun&oldid=1118811962, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2018, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 29 October 2022, at 01:52. completely rebuilt after the Kaprun funicular tunnel (Austria; 155 fatalities) in 2000 or Daegu metro (South Korea; 200 fatalities) in 2003. Two fleeing workers in the Alpine Centre, upon seeing the smoke, alerted employees and customers and escaped via an emergency exit. The new funicular opened in 2005, making it both the oldest and most modern of . One national ski team scarcely avoided tragedy. Soc. 11th of November, 2000 in Kaprun, Austria, WATCH: Ski Patrol Sets Off Major Avalanche At Crystal Mountain Resort, Windham Mountain Announces Plans To Become A Four-Season Destination Resort, VIDEO: Purposely Crossing Your Skis Prior To Takeoff Is A Bold Move, Oregon Ski Resort Extends Season Until Mid-May, Most of Yosemite Temporarily Closed Due To Snowmelt Flooding Concerns, Zoo Demonstrates What Happens When Campsites Aren't "Bear-Proof", Projected Closing Dates For Ski Resorts In The Northeast. Mrchenparadies (a fairy-tale park The fire melted through plastic pipes carrying flammable hydraulic fluid from the brake system, resulting in the loss of fluid pressure which caused the train to halt unexpectedly 600 metres into the tunnel (this was a standard safety feature). It is located in the Pinzgau region on the northern slopes of the Alpine Glockner Group with Mt. Following the spate of tunnel fires which occurred in Europe at the turn of the century, the safety of European tunnels was assessed and found to be generally poor. The disaster killed 155 people (150 on the ascending train, 2 on the descending train and 3 in the mountain station). The track and supporting structure below the tunnel has now been completely removed, with just a gap in the trees to indicate where it stood. Kaprun is a typical Alpine village, its streets lined by traditional stucco and wood chalet-style houses and hotels, their overhanging roofs iced in winter with a thick layer of snow. There were terrible scenes in the cabin I was in, which suddenly filled with smoke. They were desperately trying to find a way out. There were two carriages on a single track, with a section allowing the trains to pass each other halfway. title = "International tunnel fire-safety design practices". This pillar was built in 1966 and has of a pipe of 2.2 metres (7.2 feet) diameter in the center, in which a ladder and a maintenance elevator are installed. 155 skiers and staff perished in the flames and smoke, and the tunnel has remained . Miclea, Paul C. ; Chow, Wan Ki ; Chien, Shen Wen et al. Of course tunnel fire safety had been studied for a long time before these fires, so that The Truth About The Deadly Kaprun Railway Disaster. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. and the Schloss or castle on the hill overlooking the old town.). There were no engines, fuel tanks, or drivers, only low-voltage electrical systems, 160-litre hydraulic tanks (used for the brake system) and an attendant who operated the hydraulic doors. Only twelve people survived the disaster. They mistakenly left the exit doors open, a factor which increased the chimney effect within the tunnel by allowing air to escape upwards more quickly and further intensifying the fire. June 18, 2002 Posted: 6:15 AM EDT (1015 GMT) The Kaprun funicular rail blaze clamed the lives of 155 people from around the world. disclosures, audience |. Each funicular unit had its fire extinguishers out of the passengers' reach in the sealed attendants' compartments. The town is a tourist destination known as "Zell am See-Kaprun" with the neighbouring Zell am See and known for the glacier Kitzsteinhorn. Nearly one year after the fire, the official inquiry determined the cause was the failure, overheating and ignition of one of the electric heaters installed in the conductors compartments that were not designed for use in a moving vehicle. The Kaprun disaster was a fire that occurred in an ascending train in the tunnel of the Gletscherbahn Kaprun 2 funicular in Kaprun, Austria, on 11 November 2. The victims were skiers on their way to the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier. The catastrophic consequences of the tunnel fires (e.g., the Mont Blanc tunnel, 1999, the Austrian Kaprun funicular tunnel, 2000, and the Swiss St. Gotthard tunnel, 2001) not only resulted in loss of life, severe property damages, but also left the public with a lack of confidence in using such systems. In the early 20th century the castle was a possession of Prince Johann II of Liechtenstein, who sold it in 1921. Railsystem goes on to describe that the train, created in 1974 and upgraded in 1993, had no smoke alarms and no fire extinguishers within reach of passengers. Heidelberg Student Prison - Studentenkarzer, Contact information, By Philip Sherwell, Michael Leidig in Vienna, Julian Coman in Kaprun, Jenny Booth and Daniel Foggo, Jewish leaders want to meet Guardian editor over anti-Semitic Richard Sharp cartoon, Islamic State leader killed in Syria by Turkish intelligence services, says president, The Kings Coronation could herald a beautiful bloom of wildflowers, Duke of Sussex waxwork reunited with royals at Madame Tussauds, Watch: Mark Selby claims first ever 147 in World Snooker Championship final, Manchester United fans demand complete removal of Glazers. The fire was traced to an electric fan heater that overheated and caught fire, severing a number of . The victims of the disaster included:[2], 92 Austrians 18, there's no upper age limit, and rates include insurance. The Gletscherbahn Kaprun 2 was a funicular railway running from Kaprun to the Kitzsteinhorn, which opened in 1974. The tunnel acted like a giant blast furnace, sucking oxygen in from the bottom and rapidly sent the poisonous smoke, heat and the fire itself billowing upwards. Tauern Spa World was completed in November 2010 and is the second largest spa complex in Austria. AB - The catastrophic consequences of the tunnel fires (e.g., the Mont Blanc tunnel, 1999, the Austrian Kaprun funicular tunnel, 2000, and the Swiss St. Gotthard tunnel, 2001) not only resulted in loss of life, severe property damages, but also left the public with a lack of confidence in using such systems. On 11 November 2000, 161 passengers and one conductor boarded the funicular train for an early morning trip to the slopes. All the passengers ascending on foot, as well as the train conductor, were asphyxiated by the smoke and then burned by the raging fire. . "Fire on the Ski Slope" is about the Kaprun disaster.The Kaprun disaster was the fire that occurred in a funicular car in the tunnel of the Gletscherbahn 2 railway in Kaprun, Austria, on 11 November 2000. Imboden. celebrate its 120th year of providing service between the Kornmarkt, in Heidelberg's Altstadt, and the Knigstuhl, For many, the funicular was until yesterday part of the area's attraction. The onboard electric power, hydraulic braking systems, and fan heaters intended for use in homes instead of trains increased the likelihood of fire.[2]. The smoke kept ascending the tunnel, reaching the Alpine Centre located at the top end of the track 2,500 metres away. The track and tunnel remained in place for over a decade after the disaster, although never used by paying passengers. The track cuts through a cliff and ridges as it heads up to the ski slopes. The second section, to the Krefeld Hut, climbs 554 metres. Klaus Eisenkolb, a cable car technical expert who was involved in the planning for the line, said: "There is nothing inside the tunnel which could have caused the fire as everything inside was constructed from steel and all electrical cables are covered in fireproof material. from Molkenkur to Knigstuhl (shown above), which uses antique cars with modern working Only 12 survivors escaped from the scene of the fire. So many young people, who were here to take part in today's snow-boarding event, have lost their lives and I share in the grief of the relatives of the victims." / Miclea, Paul C.; Chow, Wan Ki; Chien, Shen Wen et al. Kaprun is popular with day-trippers from neighbouring Germany in addition to local Austrians. Inc.", Miclea, PC, Chow, WK, Chien, SW, Li, J, Kashef, AH & Kai, K 2007, '. I only managed to save myself in the last few seconds because a window had been kicked in and I could fight my way outside.". The inhumane conditions were depicted by Nobel laureate Elfriede Jelinek in her 2003 play Das Werk. All the passengers ascending on foot, as well as the train conductor, were asphyxiated by the smoke and then burned by the fire. By: Francis Xavier, What happens when your campsite isnt bear-proofcheck out his video from the Oakland Zoo to find out. Initial reports indicate that the train slammed to a halt when a cable snapped, prompting speculation that the friction of the wires rubbing against the carriages started the fire. For example, reliable and early fire detection in tunnels can provide the tunnel operator with early warnings of fire and its location, allowing for timely activation of the emergency response such as the emergency ventilation system.". Professor Joseph Nejez, a funicular train expert, said that the designers throughout the years had a perception that a fire could not occur since no fire occurred in a funicular cabin prior to the Kaprun disaster. The train conductor, who was in the cabin at the upper end of the train (which was the front, since the train was ascending), realised a fire had broken out, reported it to the control centre, and attempted to open the hydraulically operated train doors, but the system pressure loss prevented them from operating. Friends and relatives of skiers started gathering soon after the tragedy, fearing the worst as emergency crews tried to determine who was dead and who was only unaccounted for.
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