Fire in Eurotunnel

Old Sep 11th, 2008, 10:46 AM
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Fire in Eurotunnel

There has been a fire in the Eurotunnel this evening during a freight shuttle. No injuries, but apparently damage to one of the tunnels is pretty considerable.

You can expect Eurostar service between London and Paris or Brussels to be somewhat disrupted for the next several days.
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Old Sep 11th, 2008, 10:54 AM
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kerouac:

I read that they were able to evacuate everyone, and I know they do have plans for such an eventuality. Was just curious exactly how they go about doing that, and where they put the people during the fire, seven miles from the French end of the tunnel. Did they mention this on your news?

On our one crossing from Paris to London, I remember it seemed like a very, very long tunnel!
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Old Sep 11th, 2008, 10:59 AM
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There are two parallel train tunnels with a service tunnel running in between them. People are evacuated via the service tunnels.
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Old Sep 11th, 2008, 11:01 AM
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There are 3 tunnels -- two rail tunnels and a 'service tunnel' between them. The service tunnel is the evacuation tunnel, and there is access every 250 meters or so in the other tunnels.

All service is cancelled tonight, but I presume that tomorrow they will be operating just one of the rail tunnels, so no more than 50% of the service will probably be provided.
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Old Sep 11th, 2008, 11:12 AM
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Welcome to the discussion.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...2&tid=35155885
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Old Sep 11th, 2008, 11:18 AM
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But that discussion sank without a trace! (probably this one will,too, since the main fodorite tourist season is finished)
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Old Sep 11th, 2008, 11:20 AM
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Thanks for providing an answer to my question. I'm glad everyone got out safely.
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Old Sep 11th, 2008, 12:34 PM
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It's not just service has been disrupted. I've just come through St Pancras, which is full of stranded people, and the Beeb is reporting serious traffic chaos on the M20, since there simply isn't space to hold 36 hours' worth of lorries and cars.

American Fodors browsers might not be travelling round Europe right now, but Europeans and the lorries that keep our shops full most certainly are. Or were till Eurotunnel fouled up again: this is the second time this has happened in 12 years. The last one happened on the French side too: typical of what you can expect if you let one, government-owned, organisation run the railways. And before anyone starts flaming, just think how quickly all the usual whinges would have broken out if the British had caused such a safety lapse

Moan as much as you like at how badly airlines handle disruption. BA is a paragon of good citizenhip when things go wrong compared to Eurotunnel/Eurostar.
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Old Sep 11th, 2008, 12:47 PM
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Eurotunnel fouled up? How do you justify this statment? A truck caught fire.
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Old Sep 11th, 2008, 01:51 PM
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We have tix for a Eurostar trip this week-end; there were plenty of seats available when we booked, but I'm sure every car will be packed on the day. Leisure Select (discount first) was only £10 more than the available second class seats for the train we're taking--glad we decided to spend the extra!
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Old Sep 11th, 2008, 02:26 PM
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Just some add'l info about disruption of the schedules:

Passenger and freight trains on the key route linking Britain to mainland Europe have been canceled until Friday at the earliest. Eurostar issued a statement Thursday night saying that service will be suspended Friday and that passengers holding tickets for Friday "are advised not to travel." Passengers can exchange their tickets for travel on a later date or get a refund. Those holding tickets for Saturday or Sunday travel should check Eurostar's Web site for updates, the company said.
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Old Sep 11th, 2008, 03:20 PM
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Tunnel blocked, continent isolated.
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Old Sep 11th, 2008, 06:59 PM
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Trucks or tankers or rail cars carrying anything
flammable or dangerous should not be allowed in the chunnel.
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Old Sep 11th, 2008, 11:39 PM
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>Trucks or tankers or rail cars carrying anything
flammable or dangerous should not be allowed in the chunnel

Itīs often the brakes or such of old or undermaintained trucks that catch fire, not the cargo.
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Old Sep 11th, 2008, 11:47 PM
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That would include the petrol tank, would it ?

It's still burning & the service is still suspended.
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Old Sep 12th, 2008, 12:00 AM
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Lorries and commercial vehicles run almost entirely on diesel, which is non-flammable.
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Old Sep 12th, 2008, 12:31 AM
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They don't really know yet, but they suspect the brakes,
The Channel Tunnels have obviously been constructed to deal with this sort of emergency.
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Old Sep 12th, 2008, 03:10 AM
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>Lorries and commercial vehicles run almost entirely on diesel, which is non-flammable.

If diesel were non-flammable it wouldnīt be a fuel! Flame point of diesel is around 45-50 degrees, which means above this temperature it IS flammable. You only need a small outside fire to warm up the tank.
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Old Sep 12th, 2008, 03:36 AM
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>>>Trucks or tankers or rail cars carrying anything
flammable or dangerous should not be allowed in the chunnel<<

But the Euroshuttle service for trucks and cars alike has always been a major part of what the tunnel's for. You can hardly expect them to drain their tanks before entering the tunnel, any more than you can for road tunnels.
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Old Sep 12th, 2008, 04:20 AM
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Would you feel safer if trucks full of dangerous chemicals were on a ferry instead? I wouldn't.
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