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 tragedy occurred Monday, when the Kitzsteinhorn-bound funicular burst into flames in a tunnel, trapping nearly all of its passengers. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Copyright 2023 National Academy of Sciences. 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. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Civil Engineering EU, a tax-free tourist car lease can be cheaper than renting for visits of Everyone else aboard perished in the darkness after the blaze erupted at 9.30am near Kaprun, 9,000ft above sea level. The passengers, by this stage aware of the fire and unable to exit through the doors, attempted to break the shatter-resistant acrylic windows in order to escape. 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 onboard electric power, hydraulic systems, and fan heaters intended for use in homes instead of trains increased the likelihood of fire. Instead, down the valley in Kaprun, they gathered in a sports hall to wait for lists to be produced of who was believed to have been on the slopes or in hotels and hostels - and who was missing.The local authorities will post the names of people who returned safely from Kitzsteinhorn on the internet after taking the names of 2,500 skiers during the day. 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. tunnel (UK-France; no fatality but very severe damage) in 1996, Kaprun funicular tunnel . 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. Kaprun Disaster - rail system 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. The victims were also thought to include two Americans from a ski club at a US military base in Germany. Web site. The topping out ceremony was held on 23 September 1955, a few months after the signing of the Austrian State Treaty. The railway had the unusual track gauge of 946mm (.mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}3ft1+14in) and a length of 3,900 metres (12,800ft), with 3,300 metres (10,800ft) of track inside a tunnel. 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 funicular was thoroughly overhauled and modernised six years ago. Heidelberger Bergbahn. Located at the foot of the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier, Kaprun is a year-round sports centre. Fire safety in rail and road tunnels is . 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 victims were skiers on their way to the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier. Kaprun - Wikipedia 8 Americans Asked about possible British casualties, Major Richard Schieder of the Austrian police said: "The problem is the people on board were very badly burnt so identification is going to be very difficult. Fire safety in rail and road tunnels is challenging because of the specific features of the tunnel environment. 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. Salvage workers and police continue to work steadily to identify victims and to discover the cause of the catastrophe. Kaprun disaster Firefighters reached the centre and saved one of the four, while the other three were asphyxiated. If you live outside the Eleven passengers from the rear of the train who successfully broke a window followed the advice of another escaped passenger who had been a volunteer fire fighter for 20 years, and travelled downward past the fire and below the smoke. 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. 39 Kaprun Disaster Premium High Res Photos - Getty Images The train complied with area safety codes, which did not address the systems installed on the train during its 1993 upgrade. On November 11, 2000, over 100 skiers were riding a cable car funicular train in Kaprun, Austria, excited for a day traversing the Alps. cars and a tunnel with the latest fire-safety technology; The longer above-ground stretch The tunnel entrance is visible in the background. The Continue reading . The Gletscherbahn Kaprun 2 was a funicular railway running from Kaprun to the Kitzsteinhorn, which opened in 1974. ascent or descent. A memorial to the victims, located opposite the present valley station, was dedicated on 11 November, 2004. Causes of the Kaprun Disaster - UKEssays.com The victims of the disaster included:[2], 92 Austrians A military spokesman at the 86th Airlift Wing in Ramstein had no immediate details. The Kaprun disaster was a fire that occurred in an ascending railway car in the tunnel of the Gletscherbahn 2 railway in Kaprun, Austria, on 11 November 2000. Inc.", Miclea, PC, Chow, WK, Chien, SW, Li, J, Kashef, AH & Kai, K 2007, '. 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. / Miclea, Paul C.; Chow, Wan Ki; Chien, Shen Wen et al. Unofficial From The Web Climbing Kaprun disaster hi-res stock photography and images - Alamy and most modern of Germany's funicular systems. 39 Kaprun Disaster Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Images Creative Editorial Video Creative Editorial FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 39 Kaprun Disaster Premium High Res Photos Browse 39 kaprun disaster photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more photos and images. 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. the Heidelberger Bergbahn's tunnel and subterranean funicular were closed and completely rebuilt after the Gletscherbahn Kaprun 2 funicular fire in Austria killed 155 people on November 11, 2000. The disaster of the Gletscherbahn Kaprun 2 funicular - YouTube The funicular was never re-opened after the disaster and was replaced by another gondola lift, a 24-person Gletscherjet 1 funitel. Mrchenparadies (a fairy-tale park Dive into the research topics of 'International tunnel fire-safety design practices'. The tragedy occurred Monday, when the Kitzsteinhorn-bound funicular burst into flames in a tunnel, trapping nearly all of its passengers. Getting married? Meanwhile, the centre filled with smoke and all except four people escaped from the centre. As the train climbed the glacier in the early morning, the tragedy beganwhen a heater caught fire in the rear conductor's cabin. The disaster killed 155 people. Unfortunately, most of them would never make it. Download the app. The tunnel was turned into a furnace in which temperatures were estimated to have reached 1,000C. 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. Construction stopped in 1942/43, and was restarted after the war by Allied-occupied Austria from 1947. 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. The train conductor then lost contact with the control centre because the fire burned through a power cable running the length of the track, causing a total blackout. (Cars run underground between Kornmarkt, in the Altstadt, In 1606 Archbishop Wolf Dietrich Raitenau had the local burgrave beheaded for siding with local insurgents. An automatic safety feature triggered, which brought the train to a halt, and the conductor realized a fire had broken out. On 11 November 2000, 161 passengers and one conductor boarded the funicular train for an early morning trip to the slopes. Capt Harald Hofmann of the Salzburg police, said: "We will only be able to identify them from rings, X-rays and dental work.". They called the blaze an "unbelievable tragedy", adding that "we and the whole village are in mourning". [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. The young woman - who was not named - said: "There was no hope for those who are left behind in the tunnel. The Truth About The Deadly Kaprun Railway Disaster - Grunge Europe > The smoke kept ascending the tunnel, reaching the Alpine Centre located at the top end of the track 2,500 metres away. 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). 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. Two fleeing workers in the Alpine Centre, upon seeing the smoke, alerted employees and customers and escaped via an emergency exit. Disaster struck when the train had travelled about 600 yards up the two-mile tunnel. 155 skiers and staff perished in the flames and smoke, and the tunnel has remained . There were terrible scenes in the cabin I was in, which suddenly filled with smoke. Miclea PC, Chow WK, Chien SW, Li J, Kashef AH, Kai K. International tunnel fire-safety design practices. ABOVE: The upper section of the Heidelberger "Best of the Web" The sustainability of existing tunnels, given the increased road traffic and changed vehicle mix, or the new rolling stocks, needs innovative design practices. Firefighters reached the centre and saved one of the four, while the other three were asphyxiated.[1]. Fire safety in rail and road tunnels is challenging because of the specific features of the tunnel environment. Imboden. Speaking on Austrian radio, one of the survivors described smoke pouring through the carriages. The Mooserboden hydroelectric plant uses water from two reservoirs held back by some of Austria's largest dam walls. Testing skis and winter gear is hard work (just ask our boot testers)but someone's gotta do it. Tauern Spa World was completed in November 2010 and is the second largest spa complex in Austria. 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 ). Kaprun's cutting-edge mountain transportation technology has been overshadowed by the Kaprun Disaster since 2000, when a funicular train caught fire inside the Kitzsteinhorn in the middle of the 3.3-km-long tunnel. Fire safety in rail and road tunnels is challenging because of the specific features of the tunnel environment. UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34548260848&partnerID=8YFLogxK. 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. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. The track cuts through a cliff and ridges as it heads up to the ski slopes. The fire raged for days as rescuers tried to save survivors, but in the end only 12 survived, with 155 dead in Austria's deadliest tragedy since World War II. 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. 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. | celebrate its 120th year of providing service between the Kornmarkt, in Heidelberg's Altstadt, and the Knigstuhl, The Kitzsteinhorn glacier railway has operated since 1974 and was the world's first Alpine underground railway. It was first climbed in 1828 by local mountaineer Johann Entacher. The sustainability of existing tunnels, given the increased road traffic and changed vehicle mix, or the new rolling stocks, needs innovative design practices. A slow leak of highly flammable hydraulic oil was ignited by the burning heater, which in turn melted the plastic fluid lines further feeding the flames, and also resulting in the hydraulic pressure loss which caused the train to stop and the doors to fail. Kaprun, Austria, Nov. 15, 2000-The final death toll is 155 people in what can be pronounced history's worst cable car accident. After the passenger train ascended into the tunnel shortly after 9:00am, the electric heater in the unattended conductors cabin at the lower end of the train caught fire, due to a design fault. No smoke detectors existed on board. 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. author = "Miclea, {Paul C.} and Chow, {Wan Ki} and Chien, {Shen Wen} and Junmei Li and Kashef, {Ahmed H.} and Kang Kai". The carriages each had a maximum capacity of 180 passengers. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Heating, Ref. 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. visit the English-language 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 disaster killed 155 people (150 on the ascending train, two on the descending train and three in the mountain station). The majority of those in the train were Austrians and Germans, but Americans and Japanese also lost their lives in the flames. that travel in opposite directions and pass each other at the midpoint of their Kaprun disaster | Detailed Pedia The Kaprun disaster was a fire that occurred in an ascending railway car in the tunnel of the Gletscherbahn 2 railway in Kaprun, Austria, on 11 November 2000. Kaprun - A new future for the Gletscherbahn Kaprun 2 funicular It is believed that 155 died in the tunnel. 37 Germans 0:00 / 10:31 #tunnel #kaprun #fire The disaster of the Gletscherbahn Kaprun 2 funicular - fire in the tunnel #8 (ENG) Tragicus Disaster Tragicus Disaster 55 subscribers Subscribe 0 No. This nighttime picture of the funicular tunnel was taken with and a length of 3.9 kilometres (2.4 miles), of which 3.3 kilometres (2.1 miles) was through a tunnel. The lowest section, running from Kapruner Thoerl up to the Salzburg Hut, is 2028 metres long and climbs 970 metres in altitude. Only 12 survivors escaped from the scene of the fire. The disaster killed 155 people (150 on the ascending train, two on the descending train and three in the mountain station). There was disbelief when it emerged last night that there was no fire-fighting equipment in the tunnel or on the train. This railway had the unusual track gauge of 946 millimeters, and a length of 3900 meters, of which 3300 meters was through a tunnel. Six more deaths occurred indirectly. Kaprun (German pronunciation: ) is . The extinguishers were in a sealed attendant's cabin, and those inside had no way of contacting the attendant. Heidelberger Bergbahn's tunnel and subterranean funicular were closed and The terrible fire on the Kaprun funicular railway has exposed a criminal lack of safety procedures. 5 minutes to Molkenkur, and another 9 minutes to Knigstuhl All suspects including company officials, technicians and government inspectors were cleared of criminal negligence. Three died in the shop and restaurant because of smoke. Whatever the cause, the flames and smoke raced up through the tunnel with such speed and force that three people waiting at a station on the mountain were also killed by the fumes, as was the driver of an empty train travelling downhill. disclosures, audience. 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.". Other Austrian cable cars that resemble the one at Kitzsteinhorn have been halted for safety checks. Many of the still-trapped occupants had by now lost consciousness due to toxic fumes. They turned and ran for their lives." Two fleeing workers in the Alpine Centre, upon seeing the smoke, alerted employees and customers and escaped via an emergency exit. Most of the victims were skiers on their way to the Kitzsteinhorn Glaciers. The railway's owners, Gletscherbahn Kaprun, said: "Due to a fire in the tunnel, there was a shorting in the electrical circuit, consequently causing the train travelling up to the ski slope to catch fire." 1.2. The zoo set up a mock camping (). 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. Groes Wiesbachhorn, 3,564m (11,693ft), part of the Hohe Tauern range, forming the border of Salzburg with Carinthia. 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. Like most funiculars, the Heidelberger Bergbahn has two cars Chaprunne Castle was acquired by the Prince-Archbishops of Salzburg in 1287 and enfeoffed to the Lords of Felben in 1338. One train would carry passengers up the mountain while the other train simultaneously descended the mountain. The conductor managed to get the doors open, but those who had not already passed out traveled up the mountain toward the control center, where they lost consciousness. The train, called the Gletscherbahn 2, was carrying passengers up to the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier, according to Railsystem. Judge Seiss said there was insufficient evidence to find the suspects responsible for the conditions that led to the blaze. 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. from 9 a.m. until late afternoon in winter and until mid-evening in summer. 170 perish in Alpine tunnel inferno - The Telegraph VIENNA, Austria -- Sixteen . We expect to find a lot of ashes. 4 Slovenians The US military in Germany said that two ski clubs from the Kaiserslautern military community were believed to have been in the Kaprun area yesterday. The disaster claimed the lives of 155 people, leaving 12 survivors (10 Germans, 2 Austrians) from the burning car. The lower section of the funicular, which runs underground from the Even without the heat the fumes were absolutely terrible. 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. The funicular was never reopened after the disaster and was replaced by a gondola lift, a 24-person Gletscherjet 1 funitel. Members get 15+ publications right in your pocket. "Medical and recovery experts from Austria and Germany will today begin the harrowing indentification process which police said could take at least two weeks. A slow leak of highly flammable hydraulic oil was ignited by the burning, melting heater, which in turn melted the plastic fluid lines, further feeding the flames and also resulting in the hydraulic pressure loss which caused the train to stop and the doors to fail. Eventually, the conductor was able to unlock the doors, allowing them to be manually forced open by the remaining conscious passengers who spilled out into the tunnel and fled upwards and away from the fire. Road access to the tunnel was blocked by police, with even friends and relatives unable to gain access to the scene. Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. 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. completely rebuilt after the Powered by Pure, Scopus & Elsevier Fingerprint Engine 2023 Elsevier B.V. We use cookies to help provide and enhance our service and tailor content. Unfortunately, most of them would never make it. The second section, to the Krefeld Hut, climbs 554 metres. One national ski team scarcely avoided tragedy. It is a two-hour transfer to resort from Salzburg Airport. Forensic technicians refuse to give information about the substance other than it is being chemically analyzed and appears similar in consistency to a lubricant. British holidaymakers were believed to be among the victims on the cable railway to the popular Kitzsteinhorn glacier. INSET BELOW: Maintenance workers collect leaves from the tracks The third section, from the Krefeld Hut, is 2,192 metres (1.362 miles) long and climbs 575 metres. Built with Bucyrus equipment and massive help from the Marshall Plan European Recovery Program, the power plant became an icon of post-war reconstruction. Understand [] Kaprun III, with 113.6 m the tallest aerial tramway support pillar in the world. Kaprun Funicular Accident Worst in History - Ski Mag One group managed to break through, and an ex-firefighter among them advised that they should descend the mountain, past the fire, to avoid smoke. Many of the still-trapped occupants had by now lost consciousness due to toxic fumes. Kaprun (German pronunciation: [kaprun]) is a municipality in the Zell am See District in the state of Salzburg, Austria.
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