1996 Channel Tunnel Fire - Aftermath

Aftermath

Along a 50-metre length of tunnel, the normally 0.4-metre thick tunnel lining was reduced to a mean depth of 0.17 metres, with the thinnest area being 0.02 metres. The chalk marl showed no signs of failing or collapsing but colliery arches were installed as a precaution. Over a further 240-metre long section (70 metres towards Britain, 170 metres towards France), damage to the concrete extended as far back as the first set of reinforcement bars. Superficial damage to the surface of the concrete segments was evident along a further 190 metres of tunnel length. In the vicinity of the fire, services were destroyed, including high-voltage cables, low-voltages cables, communications, lighting systems, traction and junction boxes over a length of 800 metres. Five hundred metres of track had to be replaced, as did 800 metres of overhead line, 800 metres of refrigeration pipe and signalling equipment over a length of 1,500 metres. Four escape cross-passages and five pressure relief ducts had to be refitted with new doors and dampers. The damage was in interval 3, services were able to be restarted using single track working over the parallel interval 4. In a phased re-opening, the freight train service re-started on 29 November 1996, followed by Eurostar services on 4 December, and tourist shuttles on 10 December for cars and 6 January 1997 for coaches. Agreement had been reached on the repairs by 24 January 1997. The civil engineering work, repairing the tunnel wall, was completed by the French contractor Freyssinet in 60 days. This was followed by the replacement of the track, overhead line and signalling by Eurotunnel and, completed in less than a month, the tunnel was fully reopened on 15 May 1997.

The damage to the train was concentrated in the rear half. The front locomotive, amenity coach and front rake (including a truck carrying dangerous goods) suffered minor damage from heat and smoke: all were re-usable after thorough cleaning and minor repairs. The rear rake suffered major thermal damage: eleven wagons and the rear locomotive were scrapped, as were most of the HGVs being carried.