Forty young ski enthusiasts from Slovenia had the most fortunate escape when they missed the train because one of their group was in the lavatory. 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. On the 11 th November 2000, the Gletscherbahn Kaprun 2 Funicular in Austria was the scene of a disaster that claimed the lives of 155 people. Speaking on Austrian radio, one of the survivors described smoke pouring through the carriages. On November 11, 2000, over 100 skiers were riding a cable car funicular train in Kaprun, Austria, excited for a day traversing the Alps. Some recent advances in technology, specifically state-of-the-art ventilation and water suppression systems, are also discussed. Understand [] Kaprun III, with 113.6 m the tallest aerial tramway support pillar in the world. They tried to tear open the closed doors and to smash the windows. Most of the victims were skiers on their way to the Kitzsteinhorn Glaciers. Getting married? They were unable to escape the inferno and toxic fumes of the exploding cable car. 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. 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. Heidelberger Bergbahn A German spoke of scenes of terror as the fire broke out. ABOVE: The upper section of the Heidelberger On November 11, 2000, over 100 skiers were riding a cable car funicular train in Kaprun, Austria, excited for a day traversing the Alps. The Kaprun disasterwas a fire that occurred in an ascending train in the tunnel of the Gletscherbahn Kaprun 2 funicularin Kaprun, Austria, on 11 November 2000. Some recent advances in technology, specifically state-of-the-art ventilation and water suppression systems, are also discussed. The disaster killed 155 people (150 on the ascending train, two on the descending train and three in the mountain station). A new transport system was eventually built, and the train never reopened, only leaving behind a sealed tunnel and a grim legacy. 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. [citation needed]. There was disbelief when it emerged last night that there was no fire-fighting equipment in the tunnel or on the train. 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). The other three were found at a station stop at the top of the tunnel. Kaprun, AustriaGletscherbahnen Kaprun AG will get back the only car which remained intact after the November 11th, 2000 tragedy.The "Kitzsteingams" car was destroyed by the fire into the tunnel. Today, the completely renovated funicular consists of two parts: . Located at the foot of the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier, Kaprun is a year-round sports centre. [1] Several minutes later, the train conductor, who was in the cabin at the upper end of the train (which was the front, since the train was ascending), realized that a fire had broken out, reported it to the control centre, and attempted to open the hydraulically operated doors, but the system pressure loss prevented them from operating. The Austrian Nobel Prize winner Elfriede Jelinek incorporated the disaster in her 2003 play In den Alpen (In the alps). Of course tunnel fire safety had been studied for a long time before these fires, so that We expect to find a lot of ashes. Mrchenparadies (a fairy-tale park 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. It was impossible to breathe." from Molkenkur to Knigstuhl (shown above), which uses antique cars with modern working 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 17-member Macedonian group was fatigued from their 24-hour journey to Austria and decided to rest instead of taking the funicular to Kitzsteinhorn. 4 Slovenians The topping out ceremony was held on 23 September 1955, a few months after the signing of the Austrian State Treaty. The undamaged "Gletscherdrachen" car was confiscated by the Salzburg authorities for the investigations and will be brought back to the operators of Kaprun skiing area. The clear blue skies and a planned ski competition meant that the two carriages were packed as they entered the tunnel on the first day of the winter season at the year-round ski resort. The Kitzsteinhorn is accessed by the Gletscherbahn 1, an aerial lift in three sections, opened on 12 December 1965 to develop the area for glacier skiing. 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. The onboard electric power, hydraulic braking systems, and fan heaters intended for use in homes instead of trains increased the likelihood of fire.[2]. It was first climbed in 1828 by local mountaineer Johann Entacher. The reservoir area has become a tourist attraction, with views over the towns of Kaprun and Zell am See. Two fleeing workers in the Alpine Centre, upon seeing the smoke, alerted employees and customers and escaped via an emergency exit. 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. 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. Prior to the passenger train leaving the lower terminus shortly after 9:00 am, the electric fan heater in the unattended cabin at the lower end of the train caught fire, due to a design fault that caused the unit to overheat. The Truth About The Deadly Kaprun Railway Disaster. Conditions yesterday appear to have been every bit as extreme as in the Mont Blanc road tunnel where 45 people died in March 1999 in the last big tunnel fire in mainland Europe. This railway had the unusual track gauge of 946 millimeters, and a length of 3900 meters, of which 3300 meters was through a tunnel. The funicular was never reopened after the disaster and was replaced by a gondola lift, a 24-person Gletscherjet 1 funitel. Hotline numbers for worried relatives: Red Cross: 0043 662 81 44 300; District Council: 0043 65 47 20000. Heidelberger Bergbahn's tunnel and subterranean funicular were closed and 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. 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. The stations were abandoned and the tunnel sealed. 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 claimed the lives of 155 people, leaving 12 survivors (10 Germans, 2 Austrians) from the burning car. There were 12 survivors from the burning ascending train. 1 Briton The train complied with area safety codes, which did not address the systems installed on the train during its 1993 upgrade. or "King's Chair," with its spectacular views and activities such as the Minimum driver age is 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 third section, from the Krefeld Hut, is 2,192 metres (1.362 miles) long and climbs 575 metres. 10 Japanese The 2007 fire in the Burnley tunnel in Australia is highlighted as an example of an incident where technology prevented the initial fire growing into a catastrophe. 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. 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. Forensic technicians refuse to give information about the substance other than it is being chemically analyzed and appears similar in consistency to a lubricant. The inhumane conditions were depicted by Nobel laureate Elfriede Jelinek in her 2003 play Das Werk. Everyone else aboard perished in the darkness after the blaze erupted at 9.30am near Kaprun, 9,000ft above sea level. In the early 20th century the castle was a possession of Prince Johann II of Liechtenstein, who sold it in 1921. Gletscherbahn 2 was a funicular railway with two carriages running from Kaprun to the Kitzsteinhorn which opened on 23 March 1974. 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. The death toll now stands at 158. [6][7], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}471332.26N 124314.67E / 47.2256278N 12.7207417E / 47.2256278; 12.7207417. The sustainability of existing tunnels, given the increased road traffic and changed vehicle mix, or the new rolling stocks, needs innovative design practices. International tunnel fire-safety design practices. 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. and the Schloss or castle on the hill overlooking the old town.). MORE than 170 skiers and . A modern funicular car arrives in the lower station of the As the train climbed the glacier in the early morning, the tragedy beganwhen a heater caught fire in the rear conductor's cabin. 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. Heidelberg > Funicular. It is located in the Pinzgau region on the northern slopes of the Alpine Glockner Group with Mt. 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. Fire safety in rail and road tunnels is . Professional Skier Kyle Smaine, 31, Killed in Avalanche in Japan, American Travis Ganong Finishes Third in the Most Dangerous Downhill Race in the World. disclosures, audience. For more information on riding the funicular or taking your vows on the trip up, This melted through the pipes that carried the hydraulic fluid, which was not only flammable but necessary for braking and other functions of the funicular. and most modern of Germany's funicular systems. Dive into the research topics of 'International tunnel fire-safety design practices'. Three died in the shop and restaurant because of smoke. In this section I will briefly explain the events that are known as the Kaprun disaster. tunnel (UK-France; no fatality but very severe damage) in 1996, Kaprun funicular tunnel . One national ski team scarcely avoided tragedy. November 11, 2000. One train would carry passengers up the mountain while the other train simultaneously descended the mountain. Daron Rahlves Knows. in early December. Meanwhile, the centre was filled with smoke and all except four people escaped the centre. Heading out the door? Inc.", Miclea, PC, Chow, WK, Chien, SW, Li, J, Kashef, AH & Kai, K 2007, '. 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. The town is a tourist destination known as "Zell am See-Kaprun" with the neighbouring Zell am See and known for the glacier Kitzsteinhorn. Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. "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. Heating, Ref. The Kaprun disaster refers to the fire that occurred on November 11th 2000 in the tunnel of the Gletscherbahn (glacier train in German) Kaprun 2 funicular (cable railway) in Kaprun, Austria, not far from Salzburg. The train, the Gletscherbahn 2, was a funicular railway running from Kaprun to the Kitzsteinhorn, opened in 1974. 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. 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. On 11 November 2000, it was the site of the Kaprun disaster, in which 149 skiers lost their lives in a tunnel fire. T1 - International tunnel fire-safety design practices. On 19 February 2004, Judge Manfred Seiss acquitted all 16 suspects, including company officials, technicians, and government inspectors, clearing them of criminal negligence. Miclea, P. C., Chow, W. K., Chien, S. W., Li, J., Kashef, A. H., & Kai, K. (2007). 1 Czech. [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. From his hospital bed he said: "It was pure panic. Survivors described horrifying scenes as people trapped inside the train screamed with terror before the choking fumes silenced them. There were two carriages on a single track, with a section allowing the trains to pass each other halfway. Europe > The sustainability of existing tunnels, given the increased road traffic and changed vehicle mix, or the new rolling stocks, needs innovative design practices. 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.