Hsuehshan tunnel fire

[Icon]

Double decker bus caught fire, 3 dead, 21 hurt. Correction: 22 hurt, 2 dead.

edit:
early English version: http://focustaiwan.tw/ShowNews/WebNews_ ... 1205070014
Scary.

Chinese version: http://tw.news.yahoo.com/雪隧車禍-2客運相撞起火-083010464.html

Apparently, a small car had a blowout and got rear-ended by the bus, which exploded. Ugh.

EDIT: correction on who hit who

[Super Hans]

Nasty stuff, and I'm surprised that a more serious event hasn't happened already. However, considering how highway 9 took it's toll on drivers over the years, this tunnel has technically saved many lives already.

[Taiwan Luthiers]

Nasty stuff, and I'm surprised that a more serious event hasn't happened already. However, considering how highway 9 took it's toll on drivers over the years, this tunnel has technically saved many lives already.

Well it looks like the driver in the rear was too close to the bus in front of him. For some reason bus drivers here loves tailgating.

Isn't the tunnel rather strict regarding speed?

[Icon]

Yes, very much. But accidents still may happen. What is important to see is what measures were taken and how was the rescue implemented... which I am trying to discern from all the noise the "news" are making...

[Super Hans]

There are chevrons on the road surface which denote the minimum distance you should be to the car in front. The speed limit is 90 but you can drive to 100 without getting a ticket - strangely enough, the electronic LED signs encourage this (Speed limit 90! No exceeding 100). Also, strangely, is that the limit on the freeway before entering the tunnel and after un-entering it is only 80, and this seems to be very strictly enforced.

[Gilgamesh]

Actually, on the Yilan side of the tunnel, the speed limit is 90 but on the other side it does drop down to 80. I have to admit that I don't recall seeing the chevrons. I'll have to check that out next time we go through the tunnel.

[tommy525]

IM claustrophobic and i didnt enjoy going thru the tunnel. The thing I fear is getting stuck in there. Fires are especially dangerous. ITs amazing not more people died. THe smoke can kill hundreds if not thousands, the vent system must be pretty good.

IS this the first tunnel fire? Tunnel fire is one thing that I hope they built in protection for. Because it does happen. Cars catch fire in collisions and all that.

sounds like they need to reduce speed again . The cars should be able to stop in time without going over to the next lane. This accident wouldve been avoided if the vehicles need not have changed lanes. Lower speed wouldve allowed them to stop in their lane.

Looks like speed needs to be reduced back down to 70kph which it was before. Now raised to 90kph (at least when I was in it).

[Taiwan Luthiers]

IM claustrophobic and i didnt enjoy going thru the tunnel. The thing I fear is getting stuck in there. Fires are especially dangerous. ITs amazing not more people died. THe smoke can kill hundreds if not thousands, the vent system must be pretty good.

IS this the first tunnel fire? Tunnel fire is one thing that I hope they built in protection for. Because it does happen. Cars catch fire in collisions and all that.

sounds like they need to reduce speed again . The cars should be able to stop in time without going over to the next lane. This accident wouldve been avoided if the vehicles need not have changed lanes. Lower speed wouldve allowed them to stop in their lane.

Looks like speed needs to be reduced back down to 70kph which it was before. Now raised to 90kph (at least when I was in it).

They need to deal with people tailgating. People getting rearended only happens because someone is tailgating. If the distance rule is correctly followed then the driver should have enough time to brake if the driver in front of him is having problems.

When I was in drivers ed the instructor told us to follow a 2 second following distance, that means if a sign passed a car in front of you it needs to take a minimum of 2 seconds in order to reach you. That's IF the conditions are good (dry road, good tire and brake). If the conditions are worse then the following distance has to be doubled. The problem is no one in Taiwan, particularly bus drivers follows that rule. Tailgating is the norm here which is why accidents like this happened.

[Icon]

One of the guys on the bus was with his GF, they had been engaged two years. She lost conciousness in the collision, but he managed to get her out of the bus, she woke up after they got out of the bus, and he got her to the safety island. His promise to her: as soon as this is over, we get a civil marriage!

http://tw.news.yahoo.com/濃煙中狂奔-過了這關-我們就結婚-190900932.html;_ylt=At5_Ct33SE7FpRNWBmHjEUmVBdF_;_ylu=X3oDMTNtcDc2NnBjBG1pdANKdW1ib3Ryb24gRlAEcGtnAzU4YTFhMzYxLTkyOGMtMzY2NC05ZjA0LTE1ZDdhYTk2Yzc1YQRwb3MDMQRzZWMDanVtYm90cm9uBHZlcgM1NGI1MDY2OC05OGMzLTExZTEtYmZmZi04NjQ4MzdlMTllOGY-;_ylg=X3oDMTFucXJnOGdpBGludGwDdHcEbGFuZwN6aC1oYW50LXR3BHBzdGFpZAMEcHN0Y2F0A2hvbWUEcHQDc2VjdGlvbnM-;_ylv=3

[Belgian Pie]

I wonder how it's possible that a bus, driving on diesel can go up in flames like that ... you can hold a flame to diesel and even than it won't burn.