Gotthard Tunnel: Fire protection reinforced
Now, after a short test phase, the thermal portal on the north side of the Gotthard road tunnel is also definitely going into operation. This means that overheated vehicles can be taken out of service in good time.
The greatest danger in a road tunnel occurs when a vehicle starts to burn. This was demonstrated by the tragic events in the Mont Blanc, Tauern and 2001 Gotthard road tunnels. The most common cause of vehicle fires in trucks is overheating in engines, brake linings or exhaust systems. To increase tunnel safety, the Swiss Federal Roads Office (Astra) therefore set up a thermal portal on the south side of the tunnel, in addition to other measures. This first measures the dimensions of the vehicle using a laser signal, and then uses infrared cameras to determine the temperatures of the individual vehicle parts. If a truck overheats, it is withdrawn from traffic.
The thermal portal in the south, which went into operation in 2013, measures the northbound trucks. In 2014, serious overheating was detected in 24 vehicles, which could have led to fires in the tunnel, Astra emphasizes. The thermal portal has proven its worth. It was therefore decided to install a thermal portal on the north side of the tunnel for southbound trucks as well. It is located in Göschenen and has been tested since December. The trial operation will last until the end of January, after which the thermal portal will definitely go into operation, according to the statement.
The thermal portal, together with the "drip counter" system that has been in use for some time, helps prevent fires in the tunnel, he said.
The two thermal portals north and south of the Gotthard road tunnel cost a total of around three million Swiss francs. Annual operation will cost around 600,000 Swiss francs. The portals are operated by the Gotthard damage control team.
The Gotthard road tunnel has become significantly safer thanks to the measures taken after the fire disaster of 2001, Astra emphasizes.
