Clue to ski train inferno

Over 150 people died in the Alpine tunnel blaze

The Austrian ski train on which 159 people died at the weekend may have had a fault before it entered the tunnel and turned into a blazing inferno, investigators say.

Police expert Christian Tisch told a news conference that chemical analysis would be needed to identify a substance - possibly a lubricant - which had dripped from the train onto the track.

Soon after the departure of the train and before it entered the tunnel, there may have been a fault which could have a connection with the fire

Christian Tisch

Results could be expected in a day or two.

The clue to the cause of the train fire was announced as emergency teams continued to recover bodies from the tunnel.

Already the prospect of legal action against any responsible party is being raised.

Tunnel blaze

Experts have been puzzled at how an engineless train pulled by a cable could have caught fire in the first place.

The funicular had been inspected only two months ago

On Sunday, an official said a fire was spotted by witnesses as the train was entering the tunnel.

The driver had noticed the blaze, but too late to stop the train going into the tunnel.

Many theories for the fire have been circulating:

• diesel fuel was being carried on the train
• firecrackers were on board
• cigarette or cooking gas canisters were to blame

Some believe that flammable ski equipment and clothes may have fuelled the blaze.

The steep tunnel acted like a giant chimney, sucking oxygen in from the bottom and sending toxic smoke billowing upwards.

The tunnel, which opened in 1974, is one of the earliest constructions of its kind in the world, but the train itself was modern.

Inspectors had carried out safety checks as recently as September.

The Salzburg prosecutor's office has launched preliminary investigations into the disaster ahead of possible criminal charges.

Harrowing work

The remains of more than 90 victims have been taken away by helicopter to a temporary mortuary in a Salzburg airport hangar.

When the accident is fully investigated, there will be a finding that something went wrong, either mechanical or man-made

US lawyer, Fagan

The rescuers are working in short bursts of 1.5 hours because of the physically and psychologically gruelling conditions.

Most of the dead are so badly burned that physical identification is impossible. Investigators hope to identify them by matching genetic material from the corpses with tissue on toothbrushes and razors of possible victims.

Medical and psychiatric personnel were providing counselling for those unable to deal with the horrors inside the tunnel.

Legal action

Three people were killed by smoke at the top of the tunnel

Prominent US lawyer Ed Fagan has offered his services to victims' families, saying someone had to take the blame for the tragedy.

"Lawsuits will come," said Mr Fagan. "When the accident is fully investigated, there will be a finding that something went wrong, either mechanical or man-made."

"On a per person basis you are talking about millions of dollars per person, assuming you have got a person who is a breadwinner," he said.

Mr Fagan played a key role in securing compensation for the victims of the Nazi holocaust.