Prevent accidents and respond to fires when metro trains run underground

Fire response in underground tunnels

Along with the Cat Linh - Ha Dong elevated urban railway line that has been put into operation, urban railway lines with underground sections are also being built in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

These lines are independent, have no level crossings, are built on elevated sections, and are underground; along with that, modern technology supports train protection, system safety monitoring, and train speed monitoring, which significantly contributes to preventing railway traffic accidents and minimizing operational errors. However, according to a representative of the Railway College, there is still the possibility of accidents due to equipment operation, equipment errors, errors in equipment maintenance, infrastructure, or fires.

Therefore, it is necessary to improve prevention in operation, maintenance, and develop fire response plans.

Response plan, passenger evacuation in case of metro train fire in underground.

According to the representative of the Railway College, regarding the fire response plan, if a fire occurs in the underground area while the train is on its way to the next station, the basic measure is to get to the next station as quickly as possible. If the train stops in the middle of the block, it is necessary to evacuate passengers to avoid smoke inhalation.

To do this, ventilation systems have been installed in underground sections of urban railway lines that will direct air flow in the opposite direction of passenger evacuation, pushing smoke away from passengers.

There are two methods of evacuating the train, from the front/rear end of the train and from the side of the carriage. In the event of a third rail, for safety reasons, the power to the third rail must be disconnected before evacuating passengers.

"In addition, it is important to maintain cooperation and have regular drills with external organizations such as fire and police, and medical services," the representative said.

Preventing accidents at track maintenance sites

According to the representative, track maintenance is a regular activity that contributes to ensuring train safety. Urban railway maintenance work currently mainly uses specialized maintenance equipment. Therefore, each time there is maintenance, there is a plan, time regulations, implementation procedures and measures to ensure safety and protect the maintenance area. However, if a train enters the maintenance area, there is a possibility of some serious accidents occurring.

Metro train derailment incident in Hong Kong (Photo: Internet).

Therefore, to ensure the safety of the train and maintenance workers, the supervisor must be registered for construction and maintenance, and be authorized to issue train dispatch orders. The train dispatcher or station staff must give appropriate warnings and take measures to protect the maintenance area. At the end of the construction and maintenance process, the actual site inspection process must be strictly implemented before the end of the construction and maintenance period.

Need to be confirmed, discussed with the dispatcher or station staff, the supervisor needs to follow each step of the process, regulations by using counting, checking.

"To prepare for emergencies, installing mobile signal protection equipment to stop at maintenance areas and retrieve them after completion is a necessary condition," emphasized a representative of the Railway College.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/ngan-ngua-tai-nan-ung-pho-chay-khi-tau-metro-chay-ngam-19223120218072621.htm