What to do in the event of a fire in the tunnel
Knowing how to behave is especially important when a vehicle is on fire in the tunnel. A fire event represents an enormous danger, especially since the view can very quickly become completely cloudy. The tunnels are equipped with so-called operating and safety equipment that detects smoke or fire, for example, and sends an alarm to the Letten traffic control center of the Zurich cantonal police.
The traffic control center, together with the operations center, handles police emergency calls 112 and 117 as well as messages via the emergency telephones. They also verify all incoming smoke or fire reports from the tunnels. They then trigger police patrols and get further support from partner organizations such as the fire brigade or medical services. By detecting the smoke or fire alarms, reflexes such as tunnel red, event ventilation and opening of the fire flaps are automatically triggered.
The Letten traffic control center has over 50 monitors on which the cameras of the motorway tunnels can be switched on. In this way, the situation on site can be visually monitored by the dispatcher and measures such as tunnel communication (information and behavioral measures on the radio frequencies VHF and DAB) or lane switching can be triggered.
If you notice smoke before entering the tunnel, you are not allowed to enter the tunnel for your own safety. Anyone who is already in the tunnel should observe the following behavioral measures:
- Form alley
- Report the incident to the police, ideally via the emergency telephone
- Pay attention to traffic control, stop immediately if the tunnel is red
- listen to the radio
- Choose the escape route via the green-marked and green-lit emergency exit doors; In addition to the green lighting, flashing lights are activated in the event of an incident
- Do not lock the vehicle when leaving and leave the vehicle key and starter system in the vehicle
- Never turn or drive backwards!