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Tunnel blaze report highlights failings

The blaze, which at times reached temperatures of 1000C, started when a Belgian lorry carrying flour and margarine caught fire in the 11km (seven mile) long tunnel under the Alps, western Europe's highest mountain range.

The fire trapped around 40 vehicles in dense and poisonous smoke.

It took fire services several days to extinguish the blaze.

The report, put together by a team of experts from both countries, has made 41 recommendations but does not attribute blame to any individual.

It says a technical supervisor on the Italian side of the tunnel "worsened the situation" after the fire broke out on 23 March by letting fresh air into the tunnel instead of extracting smoke, as was planned under emergency procedures.

Safety recommendations

Amongst the recommendations for improving safety were calls for:

• A single director with responsibility for the tunnel
• Tighter coordination between Italian and French control rooms
• A thorough review of the ventilation system
• Greater gaps between heavy goods vehicles
• More fireproof refuges

But the report says the investigators were uncertain whether the deaths would have been avoided had the safety procedures been followed.

Relatives' anger

The BBC's Stephen Jessel says that relatives of the victims are upset that the report has refrained from attributing blame.

The tunnel is due to reopen in the next few months, but a local group with 1,800 members - the Association for the Respect of the Mont Blanc Site - is calling for lorries to be banned from using the tunnel.

After the tragedy, French Interior Minister, Jean-Pierre Chevenement, criticised the tunnel's security cameras for apparently not being up to the challenge of such a fire.

The report concludes that building a second tunnel to separate traffic is desirable but impractical.

Relevant Stories

Mont Blanc tunnel systems 'inefficient' (28 Mar 99 | Europe)
Tunnel inferno kills 35 (26 Mar 99 | Europe)

Internet Links

French Transport Research Centre
Italian Ministry of Transport and Navigation
Association for the Respect of the Mont Blanc site

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

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