It is a spooky landscape that the “Krone” reporter team offers. Because as if they just collided, six wrecked cars stand in the tunnel, into which only pale light penetrates. “Burned out” steel skeletons – in which a sea of flames is unleashed time after time by the incoming gas at the push of a button – complete the picture.
A harbinger of a catastrophe of terrible proportions, such as in 1999 in the Tauern tunnel, when an accident killed 12 people and injured 42. At that time, a hot barrage of 1200 degrees destroyed 16 trucks and 24 cars.
“Water march” with a special explosiveness
“One of the tunnels was driven into the mountain 150 years ago and the ore shipments actually rolled to the surface on these rails,” said Professor Robert Galler, a globally sought-after geotechnical and cavern planner and consultant. manages this unique research facility of the Montanuni in Leoben and has so far enabled 500 firefighting teams from all over the world (from Greece to Israel) to penetrate this technical universe deep underground.
“We can prepare here in an absolutely realistic way,” says trainer Mario Leidinger, 36-year-old fire commissioner from Linz, who leads the exercise of firefighters from all over Austria (from Imst, Villach; Viennese professional Florianis are also there) during the inspection on the spot.
Train accidents are also simulated
Many of the men sacrifice their free time for this. Chief firefighter Daniel Tschemirnjak and his comrade Christian Ratschnig from Carinthia are no exception. For them, the underground “water march” is particularly explosive. The Karawanken and Koralm tunnels run through their area of operations. Top priority when advancing: clear the cover first, then the vehicles.
Because the former can come loose and bury victims. Train accidents are also simulated in a tube that is a true-to-life replica of a real railway tunnel. “May Saint Barbara, the patron saint of miners, who guards us in a niche, protect us from an emergency,” a helper says softly, looking at the sky – the “smoky ceiling”.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
