The disaster killed 155 people (150 on the ascending train, two on the descending train and three in the mountain station). [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. In 1606 Archbishop Wolf Dietrich Raitenau had the local burgrave beheaded for siding with local insurgents. The attendant in the burning train died with the 149 skiers. The structural flaws of the funicular trains, especially the lack of safety mechanisms, were found to have played a role in the tragedy. 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. There were two carriages on a single track, with a section allowing the trains to pass each other halfway. The tunnel entrance is visible in the background. The tunnel was turned into a furnace in which temperatures were estimated to have reached 1,000C. Lessons learned from catastrophic fires in tunnels The passengers attempted to break the tough acrylic glass in an effort to escape. The young woman - who was not named - said: "There was no hope for those who are left behind in the tunnel. They were the only passengers to survive. 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.". 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. Like most funiculars, the Heidelberger Bergbahn has two cars The Kaprun 2 Funicular ran between the Kaprun valley and the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier, safely transporting millions of skiers and tourists since 1974. 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. Kaprun - Travel guide at Wikivoyage Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! The Kitzsteinhorn glacier railway has operated since 1974 and was the world's first Alpine underground railway. VIENNA, Austria -- Sixteen . The tragedy occurred Monday, when the Kitzsteinhorn-bound funicular burst into flames in a tunnel, trapping nearly all of its passengers. The sustainability of existing tunnels, given the increased road traffic and changed vehicle mix, or the new rolling stocks, needs innovative design practices. Heidelberger Bergbahn 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. 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 unit had its fire extinguishers out of the passengers reach in the sealed attendant compartments. Mrs Fortyer said: "He saw smoke coming out of the tunnel and they opened the door and fumes just poured out. Authorities have yet to discover the cause of the explosion. 10 Japanese It is located in the Pinzgau region on the northern slopes of the Alpine Glockner Group with Mt. By: Francis Xavier, What happens when your campsite isnt bear-proofcheck out his video from the Oakland Zoo to find out. [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. Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. Train Disaster at Kaprun - YouTube "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. Germany > They were desperately trying to find a way out. title = "International tunnel fire-safety design practices". Hotline numbers for worried relatives: Red Cross: 0043 662 81 44 300; District Council: 0043 65 47 20000. 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 majority of those in the train were Austrians and Germans, but Americans and Japanese also lost their lives in the flames. from Molkenkur to Knigstuhl (shown above), which uses antique cars with modern working Gletscherbahn Kaprun 2 funicular fire in Austria killed 155 people on 2 Dutch 21 days or longer. The track and tunnel remained in place for over a decade after the disaster, although never used by paying passengers. Other Austrian cable cars that resemble the one at Kitzsteinhorn have been halted for safety checks. The other three were found at a station stop at the top of the tunnel. Salvage workers and police continue to work steadily to identify victims and to discover the cause of the catastrophe. 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. Gletscherbahn 2 was a funicular railway with two carriages running from Kaprun to the Kitzsteinhorn which opened on 23 March 1974. Chaprunne Castle was acquired by the Prince-Archbishops of Salzburg in 1287 and enfeoffed to the Lords of Felben in 1338. The disaster killed 155 people (150 on the ascending train, two on the descending train and three in the mountain station). 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. [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 topping out ceremony was held on 23 September 1955, a few months after the signing of the Austrian State Treaty. 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 lower section of the funicular, which runs underground from the 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 17-member Macedonian group was fatigued from their 24-hour journey to Austria and decided to rest instead of taking the funicular to Kitzsteinhorn. 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. 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. The tragedy occurred Monday, when the Kitzsteinhorn-bound funicular burst into flames in a tunnel, trapping nearly all of its passengers. Kaprun disaster - Wikiwand Heidelberger Bergbahn. There were 12 survivors (10 Germans and two Austrians) from the burning ascending train. 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. 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 third section, from the Krefeld Hut, is 2,192 metres (1.362 miles) long and climbs 575 metres. Bergbahn. [5] Josef Schaupper, a seven-time Deaflympic medalist was also killed in the fatal accident along with his fellow deaf skiers. 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. When it was built in 1974 the system was described as "fireproof". The passengers had no method of contacting the attendant. 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. Unfortunately, most of them would never make it. Fatal tunnel sealed entrance - Wikimapia The disaster killed 155 people. Kaprun Disaster - rail system On 19 February 2004, Judge Manfred Seiss acquitted all 16 suspects, including company officials, technicians, and government inspectors, clearing them of criminal negligence. No smoke detectors were installed. On 19 February 2004, Judge Manfred Seiss acquitted all 16 suspects. Kaprun - A new future for the Gletscherbahn Kaprun 2 funicular Of course tunnel fire safety had been studied for a long time before these fires, so that Construction stopped in 1942/43, and was restarted after the war by Allied-occupied Austria from 1947. The son of Renate Fortyer, a hotelier in Kaprun, was near the upper terminus when the fire broke out. From his hospital bed he said: "It was pure panic. 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. 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." The extinguishers were in a sealed attendant's cabin, and those inside had no way of contacting the attendant. Franz Schausberger, the Salzburg governor, said: "It is a catastrophe of unprecedented proportions. The Kapruner Ache creek joins the Salzach River south of the settlement. 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 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. They turned and ran for their lives." 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. Seiss said there was insufficient evidence to find the suspects responsible for the conditions that led to the blaze. 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. 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. British holidaymakers were believed to be among the victims on the cable railway to the popular Kitzsteinhorn glacier. 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 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Copyright 2023 National Academy of Sciences. 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. 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 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. The train, called the Gletscherbahn 2, was carrying passengers up to the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier, according to Railsystem. Some recent advances in technology, specifically state-of-the-art ventilation and water suppression systems, are also discussed. On 11 November 2000, it was the site of the Kaprun disaster, in which 149 skiers lost their lives in a tunnel fire. 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. Terms of Use and Privacy Statement, CIVIL ENGINEERING (PROCEEDINGS OF THE ICE). The stations were abandoned and the tunnel sealed. 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. Judge Seiss said there was insufficient evidence to find the suspects responsible for the conditions that led to the blaze. The train conductor then lost contact with the control centre, because the fire had burned through a 16kV power cable running alongside the length of the track, causing a total blackout throughout the ski resort. As the train climbed the glacier in the early morning, the tragedy beganwhen a heater caught fire in the rear conductor's cabin. Fire safety in rail and road tunnels is challenging because of the specific features of the tunnel environment. time is 2 minutes from the Kornmarkt to the Schloss, in early December. 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. The disaster killed 155 people (150 on the ascending train, two on the descending train and three in the mountain station). 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.". | INSET BELOW: Maintenance workers collect leaves from the tracks 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 ). Copyright 1996-2023 Durant and Cheryl 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 tunnel terminated at the main reception centre, called the Alpincenter, where a motorized winch system pulled the wagons. @article{3e91232b8fab481f8f9eeb9311e08566. The visitors centre gives guided tours of the area. Each train had four passenger compartments and a cab at front and rear for the attendant, who switched back and forth as they travelled up and down. 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). - Forbes and The Washington Post. Professional Skier Kyle Smaine, 31, Killed in Avalanche in Japan, American Travis Ganong Finishes Third in the Most Dangerous Downhill Race in the World. 1 Czech. A German spoke of scenes of terror as the fire broke out. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. You can exchange wedding vows on the historic Knigstuhl section of the Heidelberger Bergbahn. All Rights Reserved. If you live outside the funicular consists of two parts: The underground stretch from Kornmarkt to Molkenkur, which has all-new The total length of the system is just over 1.5 km. Six more deaths occurred indirectly. The onboard electric power, hydraulic systems, and fan heaters intended for use in homes instead of trains increased the likelihood of fire. The disaster killed 155 people (150 on the ascending train, two on the descending train and three in the mountain station). Mrchenparadies (a fairy-tale park 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. 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. 8 Americans Like other underground funiculars around the world, the Manfred Muller, the railway's security director, said: "We never thought it was possible that a fire could break out." the camera looking downhill from the Schloss station toward Kornmarkt. The new funicular opened in 2005, making it both the oldest The inhumane conditions were depicted by Nobel laureate Elfriede Jelinek in her 2003 play Das Werk. 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. The intensity of the fire required the bodies to be identified with DNA samples, which forensic experts are now collecting. Heidelberger Bergbahn's tunnel and subterranean funicular were closed and Austria's Kaprun railway disaster reveals lack of safety measures Three died in the shop and restaurant because of smoke. stop along the way. . Tauern Spa World was completed in November 2010 and is the second largest spa complex in Austria. [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. Kaprun funicular tunnel (Austria; 155 fatalities) in 2000 or Daegu metro (South Korea; 200 fatalities) in 2003. 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. An investigation found that the train was poorly equipped to deal with fires, making the mountain disaster all the more tragic, as many deaths could have been avoided with better systems and care from the designers. Kaprun disaster | Detailed Pedia This nighttime picture of the funicular tunnel was taken with 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. Fire safety in rail and road tunnels is challenging because of the specific features of the tunnel environment. Firefighters reached the centre and saved one of the four, while the other three were asphyxiated.[1]. 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. author = "Miclea, {Paul C.} and Chow, {Wan Ki} and Chien, {Shen Wen} and Junmei Li and Kashef, {Ahmed H.} and Kang Kai". Today the summit can be easily reached using the Glacier Aerial Tramway from the valley station at 911 m (2,989 ft), including the highest cable car pylon in the world, being 113.6 m (373 ft) tall with a diameter of 2.2 m (7 ft 3 in). It could carry up to 180 passengers. /. A military spokesman at the 86th Airlift Wing in Ramstein had no immediate details. 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. "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. "Medical and recovery experts from Austria and Germany will today begin the harrowing indentification process which police said could take at least two weeks. 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. 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. Seat of a Salzburg burgrave from 1480, it was devastated during the 1526 German Peasants' War. 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. The victims were skiers on their way to the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier. The funicular runs daily Many people were crying and screaming in fear for their lives. The carriages each had a maximum capacity of 180 passengers. 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. 12 minute documentary detailing the tragic events of 11th of November, 2000 in Kaprun, Austria when a funicular railway fire on in the middle of a tunnel claimed the lives 155 people, the majority of which skiers on their way to the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier. 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 fire was traced to an electric fan heater that overheated and caught fire, severing a number of . ascent or descent. Groes Wiesbachhorn, 3,564m (11,693ft), part of the Hohe Tauern range, forming the border of Salzburg with Carinthia. There were 12 survivors (10 Germans and two Austrians) from the burning ascending train. It is a two-hour transfer to resort from Salzburg Airport. Tuesday, investigators found an oily substance on a mountain railway in Austria, offering the first potential clue. disclosures, audience |. They were unable to escape the inferno and toxic fumes of the exploding cable car. 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. 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 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. November 11, 2000. A modern funicular car arrives in the lower station of the The new funicular opened in 2005, making it both the oldest and most modern of . The second section, to the Krefeld Hut, climbs 554 metres. 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. The train, the Gletscherbahn 2, was a funicular railway running from Kaprun to the Kitzsteinhorn, opened in 1974. 170 perish in Alpine tunnel inferno - The Telegraph Today, the completely renovated 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.
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