PONTEBBA. An accident between several vehicles, injured people, flames and smoke that “fills” the tunnel in a few moments. A highly complex scenario for rescue operations and this is what the firefighters re-proposed on the night between 26 and 27 November 2022, inside the “Dogna” tunnel, on the A23 motorway section in the Pontebba area: a maxi fire drill, coordinated by the prefecture of Udine and organized by the concessionaire of the motorway section.
Flames and smoke in the tunnel in Pontebba, but it is a fire brigade exercise
The purpose of the exercise was to test the response times of the rescue bodies, the safety levels and procedures of the emergency plan required by current legislation concerning the health and safety of users inside the tunnels of the trans-European road network.
To make the exercise more realistic, by simulating a road accident with subsequent fire inside the tunnel, tanks were set up containing fuel which was then set on fire, machines for the production of artificial smoke and some smoke bombs.
The firefighters of the Gemona del Friuli detachment and the voluntary detachment of Pontebba, personnel of the motorway police and the men of the motorway concessionaire took part in the exercise.