The disaster killed 155 people (150 on the ascending train, two on the descending train and three in the mountain station). Heidelberger Bergbahn 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. 4 Slovenians Mrs Fortyer said: "He saw smoke coming out of the tunnel and they opened the door and fumes just poured out. 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.". Train Disaster at Kaprun - YouTube Germany > 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. The funicular runs daily Kornmarkt to the Schloss or castle, is even older: It opened for business 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. 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. The disaster of the Gletscherbahn Kaprun 2 funicular - YouTube 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 tragedy occurred Monday, when the Kitzsteinhorn-bound funicular burst into flames in a tunnel, trapping nearly all of its passengers. author = "Miclea, {Paul C.} and Chow, {Wan Ki} and Chien, {Shen Wen} and Junmei Li and Kashef, {Ahmed H.} and Kang Kai". In 1993, it was modernized. 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. Today, the completely renovated Minimum driver age is 1 Czech. 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 Gletscherbahn Kaprun 2 was a funicular railway running from Kaprun to the Kitzsteinhorn, which opened in 1974. Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! tunnel (UK-France; no fatality but very severe damage) in 1996, Kaprun funicular tunnel . In the early 20th century the castle was a possession of Prince Johann II of Liechtenstein, who sold it in 1921. 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. 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. A memorial to the victims, located opposite the present valley station, was dedicated on 11 November, 2004. Kaprun Funicular Accident Worst in History - Ski Mag It was first climbed in 1828 by local mountaineer Johann Entacher. 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 tunnel entrance is visible in the background. 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. Kaprun, Austria, Nov. 15, 2000-The final death toll is 155 people in what can be pronounced history's worst cable car accident. for children) and the Tinnunculus Falknerei (where you can see falconry demonstrations Europe > and the Schloss or castle on the hill overlooking the old town.). 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. On 11 November 2000, 161 passengers and one conductor boarded the funicular train for an early morning trip to the slopes. the camera looking downhill from the Schloss station toward Kornmarkt. On 19 February 2004, Judge Manfred Seiss acquitted all 16 suspects. 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). Heading out the door? cars and a tunnel with the latest fire-safety technology; The longer above-ground stretch British holidaymakers were believed to be among the victims on the cable railway to the popular Kitzsteinhorn glacier. International tunnel fire-safety design practices. Some recent advances in technology, specifically state-of-the-art ventilation and water suppression systems, are also discussed. All rights reserved. The passengers attempted to break the tough acrylic glass in an effort to escape. In September 2007, the public prosecutor's office found that the manufacturer of the electric heater was not responsible. [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. Today, the completely renovated funicular consists of two parts: . Hotline numbers for worried relatives: Red Cross: 0043 662 81 44 300; District Council: 0043 65 47 20000. Understand [] Kaprun III, with 113.6 m the tallest aerial tramway support pillar in the world. A modern funicular car arrives in the lower station of the Franz Schausberger, the Salzburg governor, said: "It is a catastrophe of unprecedented proportions. The Kitzsteinhorn glacier railway has operated since 1974 and was the world's first Alpine underground railway. In the late 1920s the German AEG company and the Salzburg state government developed plans for a Hohe Tauern hydroelectricity power plant, including two reservoirs in the Kaprun Valley. All the passengers ascending on foot, as well as the train conductor, were asphyxiated by the smoke and then burned by the fire. 170 perish in Alpine tunnel inferno. 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. There were 12 survivors from the burning ascending train. REUTERS/Calle Toernstroem REUTERS AX/FMS RF 2HK1C06 - The town of Zell am See in the Zell am See-Kaprun region, Austrian Alps, Salcburger land The sustainability of existing tunnels, given the increased road traffic and changed vehicle mix, or the new rolling stocks, needs innovative design practices. 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. On November 11, 2000, over 100 skiers were riding a cable car funicular train in Kaprun, Austria, excited for a day traversing the Alps. 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 Gletscherbahn Kaprun 2 funicular train is waiting at the lower valley station. Nearly one year after the fire, the official inquiry determined that the cause was the failure, overheating and ignition of one of the fan heaters installed in the conductor's compartments that were not designed for use in a moving vehicle. November 11, 2000. On 11 November 2000, 161 passengers and one conductor boarded the funicular train for an early morning trip to the slopes. 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.". Capt Harald Hofmann of the Salzburg police, said: "We will only be able to identify them from rings, X-rays and dental work.". Welcome to Unofficial Networks's European Union Experience. Kaprun Archives - Funimag photoblog 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. 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. This railway had the unusual track gauge of 946 millimetres (3.104 feet), and a length of 3.9 kilometres (2.4 miles), of which 3.3 kilometres (2.1 miles) was through a tunnel. 21 days or longer. There was disbelief when it emerged last night that there was no fire-fighting equipment in the tunnel or on the train. Absolutely heartbreaking. or "King's Chair," with its spectacular views and activities such as the in 1890, with service to the castle and to the settlement of Molkenkur. 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. The Kaprun Funicular Network and its Demise 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. However, the doors were controlled by the same hydraulic fluid, and a power wire had been melted, meaning he had no method of contacting the control center. They 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. after changing to the vintage funicular at Molkenkur. N2 - 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. This section includes the world's tallest aerial lift pylon, a steel framework construction 113.9 metres (originally 106 meters) high. 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. 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. Copyright 1996-2023 Durant and Cheryl The inhumane conditions were depicted by Nobel laureate Elfriede Jelinek in her 2003 play Das Werk. Members get 15+ publications right in your pocket. Meanwhile, the centre was filled with smoke and all except four people escaped the centre. 170 perish in Alpine tunnel inferno - The Telegraph The tragedy occurred Monday, when the Kitzsteinhorn-bound funicular burst into flames in a tunnel, trapping nearly all of its passengers. The funicular was thoroughly overhauled and modernised six years ago. Kaprun disaster hi-res stock photography and images - Alamy Join Outside+ to get access to exclusive content, thousands of training plans, and more. 18, there's no upper age limit, and rates include insurance. Like other underground funiculars around the world, the No smoke detectors existed on board. 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. Other Austrian cable cars that resemble the one at Kitzsteinhorn have been halted for safety checks. T1 - International tunnel fire-safety design practices. Ticket prices depend on how far you're traveling, and on whether you want to Like most funiculars, the Heidelberger Bergbahn has two cars Only 12 survivors escaped from the scene of the fire. Kaprun funicular tunnel (Austria; 155 fatalities) in 2000 or Daegu metro (South Korea; 200 fatalities) in 2003. Firefighters reached the centre and saved one of the four, while the other three were asphyxiated. 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. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Civil Engineering Only 12 people survived the accident at the Alpine ski resort of Kaprun when fire raced through a funicular train, bringing its two crowded carriages to a halt in a tunnel. 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. Tunnel safety can only be improved if the lessons of past incidents are learned properly. 37 Germans 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. 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. Austria's Kaprun railway disaster reveals lack of safety measures The Kaprun 2 Funicular ran between the Kaprun valley and the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier, safely transporting millions of skiers and tourists since 1974. Judge Seiss said there was insufficient evidence to find the suspects responsible for the conditions that led to the blaze. Dive into the research topics of 'International tunnel fire-safety design practices'. 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. Six more deaths occurred indirectly. If you live outside the The lower section of the funicular, which runs underground from the 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. 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. Disaster struck when the train had travelled about 600 yards up the two-mile tunnel. On 19 February 2004, Judge Manfred Seiss acquitted all 16 suspects, including company officials, technicians, and government inspectors, clearing them of criminal negligence. They turned and ran for their lives." 1 Briton 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 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. Heidelberg > Funicular. 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 . Together they form a unique fingerprint. Six more deaths occurred indirectly. Kaprun disaster | Detailed Pedia visit the English-language Two fleeing workers in the Alpine Centre, upon seeing the smoke, alerted employees and customers and escaped via an emergency exit. DOCUMENTARY: The Kaprun Disaster, The Funicular Railway Fire That "Best of the Web" and a length of 3.9 kilometres (2.4 miles), of which 3.3 kilometres (2.1 miles) was through a tunnel. 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. It was impossible to breathe." Some bodies were found on narrow stairs leading upward from the train, indicating that they had managed to get out but were overcome by smoke. The conductor and the sole passenger on the railways second train, which was descending the mountain in the same tunnel from above the burning carriage, also died of smoke inhalation. celebrate its 120th year of providing service between the Kornmarkt, in Heidelberg's Altstadt, and the Knigstuhl, On November 11, 2000, over 100 skiers were riding a cable car funicular train in Kaprun, Austria, excited for a day traversing the Alps. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Some recent advances in technology, specifically state-of-the-art ventilation and water suppression systems, are also discussed. 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 other three were found at a station stop at the top of the tunnel. There were 12 survivors (10 Germans and two Austrians) from the burning ascending train. Another cause may have been a short circuit in a battery that provides lighting and power for the train or a fire started accidentally by a passenger. This nighttime picture of the funicular tunnel was taken with The tunnel and the funicular railway have remained closed since then. 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. The extinguishers were in a sealed attendant's cabin, and those inside had no way of contacting the attendant. All suspects including company officials, technicians and government inspectors were cleared of criminal negligence. 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. Fire safety in rail and road tunnels is challenging because of the specific features of the tunnel environment. (Cars run underground between Kornmarkt, in the Altstadt, The stations were abandoned and the tunnel sealed. An automatic safety feature triggered, which brought the train to a halt, and the conductor realized a fire had broken out. 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. In this section I will briefly explain the events that are known as the Kaprun disaster. UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34548260848&partnerID=8YFLogxK. The topping out ceremony was held on 23 September 1955, a few months after the signing of the Austrian State Treaty. The train ascended and descended the route at 25km/h (16mph), angled at 30 degrees. 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. There were 12 survivors. Of course tunnel fire safety had been studied for a long time before these fires, so that Only eight of the estimated 180 passengers are thought to have escaped the carnage after breaking the window of the rear carriage and scrambling to safety. The onboard electric power, hydraulic braking systems, and fan heaters intended for use in homes instead of trains increased the likelihood of fire.[2]. Miclea, Paul C. ; Chow, Wan Ki ; Chien, Shen Wen et al. The Kaprun disaster - Timenote The track cuts through a cliff and ridges as it heads up to the ski slopes. 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. 2 Dutch . Miclea PC, Chow WK, Chien SW, Li J, Kashef AH, Kai K. International tunnel fire-safety design practices. 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. 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 zoo set up a mock camping (). The total length of the system is just over 1.5 km. The second section, to the Krefeld Hut, climbs 554 metres. The victims were also thought to include two Americans from a ski club at a US military base in Germany. It is a two-hour transfer to resort from Salzburg Airport. The victims were skiers on their way to the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier. The disaster claimed the lives of 155 people, leaving 12 survivors (10 Germans, 2 Austrians) from the burning car. There was no cellphone reception within the tunnels, which meant that passengers had no method of contacting the attendant. Miclea, P. C., Chow, W. K., Chien, S. W., Li, J., Kashef, A. H., & Kai, K. (2007). All Rights Reserved. abstract = "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. The track and tunnel remained in place for over a decade after the disaster, although never used by paying passengers. They called the blaze an "unbelievable tragedy", adding that "we and the whole village are in mourning". The tunnel acted like a giant chimney, sucking oxygen in from the bottom and rapidly sent the poisonous smoke, heat and the fire itself billowing upwards. 1.2. 155 skiers and staff perished in the flames and smoke, and the tunnel has remained . 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. 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. In 1606 Archbishop Wolf Dietrich Raitenau had the local burgrave beheaded for siding with local insurgents. All the passengers ascending on foot, as well as the train conductor, were asphyxiated by the smoke and then burned by the raging fire. The lowest section, running from Kapruner Thoerl up to the Salzburg Hut, is 2028 metres long and climbs 970 metres in altitude. The intensity of the fire required the bodies to be identified with DNA samples, which forensic experts are now collecting. 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. 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. Road access to the tunnel was blocked by police, with even friends and relatives unable to gain access to the scene. One train would carry passengers up the mountain while the other train simultaneously descended the mountain. The funicular was never re-opened after the disaster and was replaced by another gondola lift, a 24-person Gletscherjet 1 funitel. Seat of a Salzburg burgrave from 1480, it was devastated during the 1526 German Peasants' War. They were unable to escape the inferno and toxic fumes of the exploding cable car. A military spokesman at the 86th Airlift Wing in Ramstein had no immediate details. [4], One of the victims was Sandra Schmitt, a 19-year-old German freestyle skier who at the time was the reigning Women's Dual Moguls World Champion. The sustainability of existing tunnels, given the increased road traffic and changed vehicle mix, or the new rolling stocks, needs innovative design practices. /. Imboden. Built with Bucyrus equipment and massive help from the Marshall Plan European Recovery Program, the power plant became an icon of post-war reconstruction. 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. Unfortunately, most of them would never make it. 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.