Thousands stranded after fire closes Channel tunnel

"We have to inspect the south tunnel,'' which was not affected by the fire, Mady Chabrier, a spokeswoman for tunnel operator Groupe Eurotunnel SA, said in a telephone interview late on Thursday. She said the company would need to get clearance from public authorities before opening any of the double-bore undersea structure.

Eurostar, the operator of trans-channel passenger trains, said it doesn't expect to run any services on Friday. "We don't have a definitive answer on when services will resume,'' spokesman Gareth Headon said in a telephone interview.

Thirty-two passengers on a vehicle-shuttle train were evacuated after a blaze yesterday in the French-side of the north tunnel on a truck aboard a freight train. Fourteen people suffered minor injuries, including smoke inhalation, the BBC reported.

Hundreds of trucks were stranded in miles-long tailbacks at both entrances to the tunnel. British authorities redirected vehicles and passengers to cross-channel ferry services.

"If the second tunnel is undamaged, we may be able to restore partial capacity quite rapidly'' with about half the usual number of trains, Eurostar spokesman Yves Szrama said.

Trains carried more than 4.6 million people through the tunnel in the first half of 2008, with Eurostar operating 18 services a day between London's St. Pancras station and Paris and Brussels. Almost 1,500 freight trains also used the link.

Previous closures

The Channel Tunnel was closed for two weeks in 1996 after a fire on the shuttle, prompting Eurotunnel to promise improved safety with more inspections and new water sprinklers. Later that year, the link was closed again due to a fire on a truck. Thirty people were evacuated and there were no injuries, with the line reopening after a matter of hours.

A track-side fire in south London closed the line for a day in March last year, disrupting travel for 10,500 people.

Email this article

Printer-Friendly version

Email the Editor

Bookmark this article