Accident - Car fire in the Gotthard road tunnel had a mild outcome
A car caught fire in the Gotthard road tunnel in Switzerland early on Tuesday morning. The two occupants of the car with German license plates had sought shelter and remained unharmed. The car was totaled for a good 26,000 euros, according to the police in the canton of Uri. The car was registered in Mannheim, police said when asked.
The car, which was heading south, had caught fire for reasons as yet unexplained. The driver had noticed smoke coming from the engine compartment. He had steered the car into an alcove, taken luggage out of the trunk and then gone into the shelter with his passenger. The alarm was triggered by the security systems at 5.00 am. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire. No other vehicles or the tunnel infrastructure were damaged.
The tunnel, which is almost 17 kilometers long, was closed in both directions for an hour due to the rescue and clean-up work. It is the most important north-south connection for cars through the Swiss Alps. It was opened in 1980 and connects Göschenen in the canton of Uri with Airolo in the canton of Ticino.
Police statement
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- In another incident, a car fire took place on a German highway in Baden-Württemberg, near Mannheim, causing a significant traffic disruption.
- Police in Switzerland reported several car accidents and fires in the Gotthard tunnel region over the past week, raising concerns about the safety of the tunnel infrastructure.
- Precautions against car fires and accidents have been enhanced in Switzerland, especially in the Gotthard tunnel, after the recent string of incidents, according to local traffic authorities.
- The Swiss police are investigating the causes of the car fires, including potential mechanical issues, fuel leaks, or deliberate acts in some of the recent accidents.
- A recent car accident in Switzerland, involving a vehicle registered in Germany, resulted in an extensive fire, causing damage to the tunnel's infrastructure and causing a temporary shutdown of traffic.
Source: www.stern.de
