Paris Métro train fire

The Metro accident in Couronnes station was a serious railway accident on Paris Métro Line 2, which occurred on 10 August 1903, 84 deaths had resulted. The high number of deaths was caused primarily by the lack of accident prevention.

Conditions

Metro line 2 was not yet a year in operation. She pointed at both tunnel and elevated train track pieces. The elevated railway line ran between the stations Boulevard Barbès (today: Barbès - Rochechouart ) and Rue d' Allemagne (today: Jaurès ). The current draw was made via a third rail, which was fed from different substations, however, did not form a mutually insulated circuits. The track had in the area of ​​the elevated railway line on no sidings or track overhaul.

On the route wrong M1 trains, either individually, with a railcar at the top and three side-car, or as a double with one railcar at the beginning and at the end of the train and six sidecar between. For double trains the power supply to the rear of the locomotive pantograph of the front was.

Circumstances of the accident

The first train: # 43

The events started around 18:53 clock, as in the drive bogie of a leading vehicle M 202 of the double train 43, was traveling in an easterly direction on the slope in front of the Boulevard Barbès station by a short circuit a smoldering arose, who had a violent smoke emission. The passengers were evacuated at the station and lifted the pantograph of the busbar. The smoke stopped by the platform, however, was full of disgruntled passengers. To this fast as possible can provide an opportunity to continue the journey, the train staff chose to ride the train out of the station. Because no emergency train was available, this happened at 19:05 clock on its own what the short circuit immediately activated and the fire swelled again. The driver remained the danger of the situation initially hidden so that it imports the train in the tunnel route and only in the tunnel station Combat (now Colonel Fabien ) stopped. Once the pantograph were lifted, the fire subsided. The driver decided against it on its own to keep trying, and asked for a vehicle to further push the train 43.

The second train: # 52

The passengers, who had to leave the train Ranked # 43 in Boulevard Barbès, went into the next, No. 52, a four-car train, and had to Rue d' Allemagne come when there asking for a shift of the vehicle train driver of the train 43 arrived. It was decided to use the train 52 as a sliding vehicle. All travelers then had to leave the train No. 52, so that he could run empty to the damaged train 43 and push away these. The maneuver succeeded and at 19:32 clock drove the now three-fold unit 43/52 on. Meantime, however, were by the fire damaged the wooden lifting equipment for the pantograph of the train 43 so that they were no longer functional: The pantographs were thus on the power rail and stoked the fire now continuously. The train passed the Belleville station but has not pursued a parking space available there and also the burning happened Couronnes station, the stationmaster was alarmed by it, but did nothing.

The third train: # 48

The next largest train, No. 48, again a four-car train had meanwhile arrived in Rue d' Allemagne and here also had all passengers who had 43 and 52 left the trains added. His guide was so worried because of lying in front of him, completely smoke-filled tunnel that he in Couronnes railway station with its train not as usual as far as the front end of the platform went, but stopped at the platform center to discuss the situation with the stationmaster. Both were aware of the threatening situation and they decided to evacuate the traveler on the road. The passengers, who had now experienced for the cancellation of part of the third one after the other, reacted angrily and pressed to station staff due to a fare refund, rather quickly to leave the station.

The disaster

The train 43/52 had just the next station, Ménilmontant achieved when the fire got out of control. The electricity did not turn off itself. Although the next sub-station was turned off because the track was not divided into mutually electrically isolated sections, which did not help. Against 20 clock the fire damaged the electrical line that fed the lighting of the station Couronnes. This was exactly the moment when thick smoke from the tunnel that led to the Ménilmontant station, gushed. Irritated by darkness and smoke, came the present on the platform travelers to panic. Many lost their way and choked before they reached the saving exit. Making matters worse was that the Couronnes station has access only at one end of the platform. The stand in the station Ménilmontant remained defective train with wooden body burned completely up to the chassis.

Follow

84 people died: 75 in Couronnes, seven in Ménilmontant and two who had tried to escape by this route in the tunnel.

The supervisory authorities ordered just a week after the accident, a number of measures that should prevent such accidents in the future: immediately had to

  • A responsible person shall be nominated for each section, which could initiate the responsible rescue Dealing with incidents
  • Every car driver to be able to isolate motors with short circuit of subsequent surges
  • Each output are provided with illuminated markings as an emergency exit
  • Be provided to the installation of fire hydrants for temporary fire stations
  • Each output of stations from all the escape route obstructions are exempt

Were within two weeks

  • All electrical components to isolate completely in the vehicles.
  • Remove flammable materials in the vehicles largely, especially in the cabs
  • Produce spare power lines for the station lighting that ensured however the lighting upon failure of the original supply

Until November 1903

  • Was to divide the distance into electrically mutually independent portions
  • Had to be increased structurally the outputs of the stations
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