FIRES IN THE MONT BLANC AND TAUERN TUNNELS

Abstract

When speaking of safety in tunnels, one automatically recalls the fires in the Mont Blanc and Tauern tunnels and, of course, the dreadful disaster in the Kitzsteinhorn tunnel in Kaprun. After reading such sensational newspaper titles as Every Second Tunnel in Austria is Dangerous, which appeared before the Christmas of 2000, it is easy to understand why persons who are unfamiliar with the problem feel very uncomfortable driving through tunnels. The question has been raised whether a road tunnel is more dangerous than an open road. The answer is reassuring. Several studies have been conducted on safety in road tunnels and all have arrived at the same conclusion: the probability of an accident occurring is considerably greater on the open road than in a tunnel. This may seem surprising at first, but one should not forget that a tunnel is not exposed to unfavourable weather conditions such as strong side winds, rain, fog, snowfall and sleet. Moreover, the speed limit is set at 80 km/h for two-way tunnels and 100 km/h for one-way tunnels, and passing is prohibited in two-way tunnels. Most drivers normally drive with more caution in tunnels than on the open road. Yet accidents cannot be fully prevented neither on open roads nor in tunnels. All that is man-made carries a certain risk, whether this be a vehicle, aircraft, bridge or tunnel. Fortunately, the majority of accidents, including fires in tunnels, do not claim human lives and do not result in major damage. Catastrophic fires are rare and mostly occur as the result of a series of unfortunate circumstances.