Following the completion of all civil and plant works in the Monte Aglio Tunnel and the subsequent submission of the fire SCIA, the pre-operation emergency exercise was held last week in which the accidental scenario of a “fictitious” fire start near the 2nd window at pk 5+940 was simulated.

The simulation involved numerous entities such as RFI Italian Railway Network, FS Security, Caserta Fire Brigade, Civil Engineering, 118, Italian Red Cross Association, Caserta Prefecture, municipalities, Caserta Civil Defense, Polfer, Carabinieri, Guardia di Finanza, Municipal Police and Traffic Police.

In detail, while running through the Monte Aglio Tunnel, a fire started on the Working Vehicle and, given the impossibility of extinguishing the fire and driving the train outside the tunnel, the on-board staff promptly alerted the Traffic Controller, activator of the emergency, who with the help of the RFI Central Manager Movement Coordinator activated the procedures set forth in the Emergency Plan for the incident scenario of reference, aimed at the timely rescue of the injured personnel on board and the extinguishing of the fire through the arrival of special bimodal APS, immediately involving the Fire Brigade, Medical Rescue 118 and Municipal Police.

The activity proved essential not only to verify the effectiveness of procedures, but also to raise awareness among all involved of the importance of safety in complex and unexpected contexts. The safety of staff and passengers is always the priority.

The exercise ended with the survey for investigation by the Polfer, the return of the crashed train and the termination of the state of emergency with appropriate communication to the Prefecture.