French, Italian Authorities Close Tunnel

The issue of trucks transporting materials, which if
they burn, will cause a lot of trouble, has not bee
raised. The tunnel services about 6000 trucks a day,
and it is closed and will be for months. The truck
traffic will be diverted over to the Mont Blanc tunnel
and the locals on the French side already object to the
truck pollution problem.

The real issue is that Europe is too depending on road
use for merchandise transfer. The truck traffic
will be at the saturation level in a few years and
nothing is being done to solve that coming problem.

Earl

****


French, Italian Authorities Close Tunnel


Sunday June 5, 2005 5:46 PM

AP Photo XPG101

By THIERRY BOINET

Associated Press Writer

MODANE, France (AP) - An eight-mile Alpine tunnel linking France and Italy
will remain shut indefinitely so workers can clear out debris and check for
structural damage, officials said Sunday, a day after trucks caught fire
inside, killing two drivers.

Temperatures soared so high in the blaze that the road's tar melted
underfoot, rescuers told France-2 television. French television showed
pictures of blackened, soot-coated shells of two tractor-trailers in the
tunnel.

The Frejus tunnel is a major thoroughfare linking the French city of Lyon
with Turin, Italy, accounting for four-fifths of commercial roadway traffic
between the countries.

Most of the truck traffic - about 3,800 trucks per day on average - likely
would be rerouted through the Mont Blanc tunnel, requiring a 124-mile
detour.

The fire began when a truck carrying tires burst into flames. Two Slovenian
truck drivers in their early 20s died, French police said.

Coordination between the Italian and French firefighters was ``great,''
Italian Transport Minister Pietro Lunardi said after meeting at the scene
with his French counterpart, Dominique Perben.

``This accident will help to improve the level of security,'' Lunardi told
Sky TG24 news.

He added that security was boosted in the tunnel after a 1999 Mont Blanc
tunnel fire, but ``it can be increased'' further.

The Mont Blanc inferno burned for two days while firefighters tried to reach
trapped cars. That blaze killed 39 people.

Lunardi said a French magistrate would lead a technical probe into the cause
of the blaze, which burned six vehicles - the tire truck, a truck
transporting glue, two other tractor-trailers and two fire vehicles.

French authorities said it was too early to tell whether the tunnel would
remain shut during February's Winter Olympics in Turin, but Lunardi was
hopeful it would reopen soon.

``From what they've told me, the damage isn't as serious as had been thought
at first,'' Lunardi said, according to the ANSA news agency.

Oh its been raining tonight
I ate strawberries this afternoon
They were very tasty !
My left foot is hurting me


"Earl Evleth" a écrit dans le message de news:
...
The issue of trucks transporting materials, which if
they burn, will cause a lot of trouble, has not bee
raised. The tunnel services about 6000 trucks a day,
and it is closed and will be for months. The truck
traffic will be diverted over to the Mont Blanc tunnel
and the locals on the French side already object to the
truck pollution problem.

The real issue is that Europe is too depending on road
use for merchandise transfer. The truck traffic
will be at the saturation level in a few years and
nothing is being done to solve that coming problem.

Earl

****


French, Italian Authorities Close Tunnel


Sunday June 5, 2005 5:46 PM

AP Photo XPG101

By THIERRY BOINET

Associated Press Writer

MODANE, France (AP) - An eight-mile Alpine tunnel linking France and Italy
will remain shut indefinitely so workers can clear out debris and check
for
structural damage, officials said Sunday, a day after trucks caught fire
inside, killing two drivers.

Temperatures soared so high in the blaze that the road's tar melted
underfoot, rescuers told France-2 television. French television showed
pictures of blackened, soot-coated shells of two tractor-trailers in the
tunnel.

The Frejus tunnel is a major thoroughfare linking the French city of Lyon
with Turin, Italy, accounting for four-fifths of commercial roadway
traffic
between the countries.

Most of the truck traffic - about 3,800 trucks per day on average - likely
would be rerouted through the Mont Blanc tunnel, requiring a 124-mile
detour.

The fire began when a truck carrying tires burst into flames. Two
Slovenian
truck drivers in their early 20s died, French police said.

Coordination between the Italian and French firefighters was ``great,''
Italian Transport Minister Pietro Lunardi said after meeting at the scene
with his French counterpart, Dominique Perben.

``This accident will help to improve the level of security,'' Lunardi told
Sky TG24 news.

He added that security was boosted in the tunnel after a 1999 Mont Blanc
tunnel fire, but ``it can be increased'' further.

The Mont Blanc inferno burned for two days while firefighters tried to
reach
trapped cars. That blaze killed 39 people.

Lunardi said a French magistrate would lead a technical probe into the
cause
of the blaze, which burned six vehicles - the tire truck, a truck
transporting glue, two other tractor-trailers and two fire vehicles.

French authorities said it was too early to tell whether the tunnel would
remain shut during February's Winter Olympics in Turin, but Lunardi was
hopeful it would reopen soon.

``From what they've told me, the damage isn't as serious as had been
thought
at first,'' Lunardi said, according to the ANSA news agency.

"Martin" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 05 Jun 2005 19:47:43 +0200, Earl Evleth
wrote:

The issue of trucks transporting materials, which if
they burn, will cause a lot of trouble, has not bee
raised. The tunnel services about 6000 trucks a day,
and it is closed and will be for months. The truck
traffic will be diverted over to the Mont Blanc tunnel
and the locals on the French side already object to the
truck pollution problem.

The real issue is that Europe is too depending on road
use for merchandise transfer.

40% is food.

The truck traffic
will be at the saturation level in a few years and
nothing is being done to solve that coming problem.

What's the alternative? The railways couldn't cope with the stuff
transported by road.

why not?

It certainly ought to be able to

tim