• Rail and road traffic

Fire in high-speed tram at the Weesperplein Metro Station, Amsterdam

Investigation start date : 12-07-1999 Publish date report : 20-07-2000

The fire in the high-speed tram on the Weesperplein metro station on 12 July 1999 resulted in massive smoke development. Smoke makes breathing difficult, hinders vision and rapidly causes a reduction in light levels. In underground areas, smoke also represents a major hazard for anyone present. The smoke development in this fire led to the entire metro station being evacuated.The present danger of fire in underground areas, the smoke development, the evacuation and the extremely limited possibilities open to the fire brigade to provide assistance underground were the background to the decision by the Board to investigate this serious incident, the sole objective of which investigation was to learn any lessons identified. The TRIPOD method was used for the investigation, a method developed by the University of Leiden and the University of Manchester. Essential to this method is the focus on ‘manageable factors’. Specific attention in this investigation was therefore above all focused on concrete actions, with which accidents in the future can be avoided.