Editing Channel Tunnel (section)

=== Fires ===
{{Main|1996 Channel Tunnel fire|2008 Channel Tunnel fire}}

There have been three fires in the tunnel, all on the heavy goods vehicle (HGV) shuttles, that were significant enough to close the tunnel, as well as other minor incidents.

On 9 December 1994, during an "invitation only" testing phase, a fire broke out in a [[Ford Escort (Europe)|Ford Escort]] car while its owner was loading it onto the upper deck of a tourist shuttle. The fire started at about 10:00, with the shuttle train stationary in the Folkestone terminal, and was put out about 40 minutes later with no passenger injuries.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.independent.co.uk/news/fire-raises-channel-tunnel-fears-1389084.html | title = Fire raises Channel Tunnel fears | first = Christian | last = Wolmar | date = 10 December 1994 | access-date =25 December 2009|work=The Independent | location=London}}</ref>

On 18 November 1996, a fire broke out on an HGV shuttle wagon in the tunnel, but nobody was hurt seriously. The exact cause is unknown,<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/CTSA_ChanTun1996.pdf| publisher=Channel Tunnel Safety Authority | title = Inquiry into the fire on Heavy Goods Vehicle Shuttle 7539 on 18&nbsp;November 1996 |date = May 1997| isbn = 0-11-551931-9 | access-date=21 July 2009 }}</ref> although it was neither a Eurotunnel equipment nor rolling stock problem; it may have been due to arson of a heavy goods vehicle. It is estimated that the heart of the fire reached {{convert|1000|°C|°F|sigfig=2}}, with the tunnel severely damaged over {{cvt|46|m|ft|0|}}, with some {{cvt|500|m|ft|0|}} affected to some extent. Full operation recommenced six months after the fire.<ref name="Kirkland fire">{{cite journal|first=C. J.|last=Kirkland |year=2002 |title=The fire in the Channel Tunnel |journal=Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology |volume=17 |pages=129–132 |url=http://www.ita-aites.org/cms/fileadmin/filemounts/ovion/doc/safety/sydney/OS12.PDF |doi=10.1016/S0886-7798(02)00014-7 |issue=2 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100920093906/http://www.ita-aites.org/cms/fileadmin/filemounts/ovion/doc/safety/sydney/OS12.PDF |archive-date=20 September 2010 }}</ref>

On 21 August 2006, the tunnel was closed for several hours when a truck on an HGV shuttle train caught fire.<ref name="BBC fire">{{cite news
| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/5271784.stm | title = Lorry fire closes Channel Tunnel |work=BBC News   | date = 21 August 2006 | access-date =21 August 2006 }}</ref><ref>{{cite report|url=http://www.raib.gov.uk/cms_resources/071023_R372007_Channel_Tunnel.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221010/http://www.raib.gov.uk/cms_resources/071023_R372007_Channel_Tunnel.pdf |archive-date=10 October 2022 |url-status=live|title=Fire on HGV shuttle in the Channel Tunnel 21&nbsp;August 2006|series=Rail Accident Report|author=Rail Accident Investigation Branch|publisher=Department for Transport|date=October 2007}}</ref>

On 11 September 2008, a fire occurred in the Channel Tunnel at 13:57 GMT. The incident started on an HGV shuttle train travelling towards France.<ref name=ft1>{{cite news | url = http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ad05c7e6-8062-11dd-99a9-000077b07658.html | title = Channel tunnel fire causes further cancellations | last = Robert Wright | date = 12 September 2008 | work = Financial Times | access-date = 21 July 2009 | archive-date = 2 March 2010 | archive-url = http://wayback.vefsafn.is/wayback/20100302095554/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ad05c7e6-8062-11dd-99a9-000077b07658.html | url-status = dead }}</ref> The event occurred {{convert|11|km|mi|abbr=in}} from the French entrance to the tunnel. No one was killed but several people were taken to hospitals suffering from smoke inhalation, and minor cuts and bruises. The tunnel was closed to all traffic, with the undamaged South Tunnel reopening for limited services two days later.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Channel-Tunnel-Closed-Due-To-A-Fire/Article/200809215097705?lpos=UK%2BNews_0&lid=ARTICLE_15097705_Channel%2BTunnel%2BClosed%2BDue%2BTo%2BA%2BFire | title = Channel Tunnel Fire Evacuation | publisher=[[Sky News]] | date = 11 September 2008 | access-date =9 March 2009 }}</ref> Full service resumed on 9 February 2009<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.eurotunnel.com/ukcP3Main/ukcCorporate/ukcMediaCentre/ukcNewsReleases/ukcNews2009/ukcFebruary2009/ukpPr0902Eurotunnel-back-to-full-capacity.htm | title = Eurotunnel fully open to traffic | publisher=Eurotunnel.com | access-date =14 January 2010 }}</ref> after repairs costing €60&nbsp;million.

On 29 November 2012, the tunnel was closed for several hours after a truck on an HGV shuttle caught fire.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/story/2012-11-29/fire-in-channel-tunnel/ | title=Fire in the Channel Tunnel | publisher=ITV | date=29 November 2012 | access-date=12 April 2013}}</ref>

On 17 January 2015, both tunnels were closed after a lorry fire that filled the midsection of Running Tunnel North with smoke. Eurostar cancelled all services.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-30863024 | title=Channel Tunnel closed and services hit after lorry fire | publisher=BBC | date=17 January 2015 | access-date=17 January 2015}}</ref> The shuttle train had been heading from Folkestone to Coquelles and stopped adjacent to cross-passage CP 4418 just before 12:30 UTC. 38 passengers and four members of Eurotunnel staff were evacuated into the service tunnel and transported to France in special STTS road vehicles. They were taken to the Eurotunnel Fire/Emergency Management Centre close to the French portal.<ref name="raib-2015-01-28">{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/fire-on-board-a-freight-shuttle-in-the-channel-tunnel|title=Fire on board a freight shuttle in the Channel Tunnel|publisher=Government of the United Kingdom|author=RAIB|format=press release|date=28 January 2015|access-date=28 January 2015|quote=shuttle 7340 made a controlled stop in the tunnel at cross-passage 4418}}</ref>