Industry alert about the knowledge gaps concerning the after bussexplosionen

It was Sunday, march 10, as a gas-powered SL-bus collided with a speed bump when it was on the way down in the klara tunnel in central Stockholm. The clash led to a massive explosion and the bus caught fire.

the Accident gave rise to discussions about safety, procedures and training concerning gas - and electric-powered buses. Two experts DN spoke with when in demand of more stringent regulations on how the relief valves on the gas tanks is targeted.

– It turns out that a svetslåga from these valves. From a regular gas-powered car becomes six feet long. From heavy-duty vehicles can the flame be 20 metres, told Tommy Carnebo, a fireman and an expert on vehicle fires.

from the other parts of the industry who say that for getting familiar with the risks associated with e-cars and a gas-driven car, including blåljuspersonal, salvor and workshops. For police and emergency services, it is important that, at a turnout to be able to quickly identify if the vehicle is powered by electricity, gas, petrol or battery.

Bo Ericsson is the ceo of the SFVF, Sweden fordonsverkstäders association. He says that the electricity - and gas-fuelled vehicles are generally safer than those powered by petrol and diesel, but he also points out that when the accident is ahead of the game so the consequences can be disastrous.

" The risks we can't handle, which is missing lots of knowledge. The consequences are much worse than in an accident with a vehicle powered with gasoline or diesel.

as an example of when the police and the emergency services were quickly on the spot, but then grew too close to the burning bus. According to Bo Ericsson felt they are most likely not to that when the gas tanks on the bus's roof exploded so there was poisonous and highly caustic hydrogen fluoride.

Several police officers lacked protective clothing and protective masks and a woman with a stroller walked past. Traffic in the area was closed not of. It shows once again what ignorance there is.

SFVF now proposes that all gas and e-vehicles shall be fitted with colored number plates.

" the Police and the emergency services would then quickly learn about what type of vehicle it is and what action must be taken. Now perhaps one may run away a bit and check up on what it is the vehicle, but it can sit people trapped who need to be rescued at once.

" Yes, it is boring. But we have tried to deal with this type of issues for a long time. I usually say that there are many signals, but no receiver, no one has listened in the past but now it seems the interest grow.

Together with the RISE, Research Institutes of Sweden, has SFVF participated in a project about how the risk of fire in vehicles that are powered by electricity and biogas are to be handled. A report will be presented in april of this year which proposes guidelines for how particular uttryckningspersonal, salvor and workshops to deal with this type of vehicle.

how the police and the emergency services to identify and manage the burning vehicles, but also tow and workshops to gain knowledge about how the vehicles can start to burn again after they were extinguished.

– currently, we have approximately 66,000 gas and 70,000 electric vehicles in public transport, but the target for 2035 is 2.5 million and it will, of course, the risks increase. Therefore, it is very important that we get the knowledge and start to educate, " said Bo Ericsson.

He also mentions the increased use of tunnels and infrastructure in soil. An example is the bus terminal at the new Slussen should be below the mark.

– It puts high demands on the management of vehicle-related fire hazards because of the major consequences of a fire in a tunnel or undermarksanläggning can bring.

klara tunnel has also the mechanic sounded the alarm about shortcomings in the management of biogas buses, which Aftonbladet has reported. Also DN has been in contact with the mechanic working on the bus depots as contractors, Keolis operates. They stated that several of his mechanics lack the busskörtkort and therefore cannot examine and test drive the buses properly. According to the DN's informant also lacks several mechanics the right training.

" It sounds strange, there is no picture I share. You get to work with different elements depending on what training you have, but here I have to check up on the closer, " says Michael Smith, an area manager for the innerstadstrafiken in Stockholm, to DN.

minister for infrastructure, Tomas Eneroth (S) responsible authorities to the meeting where it was discussed how security can be improved. With at the meeting was the SALAR, the Swedish transport agency, Swedish transport administration, the Swedish public Transport association, the MSB and the Swedish Bus and coach companies.

" It was a very rare and serious accident occurred. It is clear that it leads to that we need to see if there are reasons to do a review of both construction and safety regulations on the vehicles, but also how trafikutformningen looks, " said the minister to the TT after the meeting.

Read more: Keolis: We don't stop with biogas buses

Read more: Bussexplosionen in Stockholm is used in propaganda abroad