The safety exercise taking place this Sunday aims to assess the response of various emergency teams to a crisis situation in the tunnel. It will evaluate each team’s individual and collective handling of emergencies, their capacity for effective collaboration, and aims to pinpoint strengths and areas for improvement.
The 1999 Mont Blanc Tunnel fire disaster, which resulted in the deaths of 39 people, prompted an international response to improve tunnel safety. In response to this, a European directive was passed which obligates EU member states to conduct an annual tunnel safety exercise.
According to the National Roads Administration, for this exercise to take place, the A13 will be closed in both directions between the Schengen interchange and Mondorf-les-Bains interchange. Access from Schengen towards Bettembourg and from Mondorf-les-Bains towards the border will also be restricted. Detours will be in place via the N10, N2, N13, and N16 to the Altwies interchange for traffic heading towards Bettembourg, and via the N16, N2, and N10 for traffic heading towards Schengen.
