The Zaventem and Vilvoorde fire services are operating on unusual terrain and the Rosenbauer trucks have been built especially to protect and run in the rail tunnel.
They cannot only respond to emergencies by road, but also on the rail service.
The portal services are responsible for the fire protection of the 2.127km-long tunnel, which is located under Brussels Airport.
One enters the rail tunnel via the south portal and the other via the north, with both specially equipped with a track-traveling device, as well as all-wheel drive for the roads.
Firefighters drive on wheels to the tunnel portals and then, via a ramp, and run onto the track where the six-axle track travelling device is lowered.
The robust fire trucks can then run through the tunnel at speeds of up 40 km/h.
The vehicles were purchased by the Belgian railway operator Infrabel and their manufacture took place through cooperation between Rosenbauer, Infrabel and the two Belgian fire departments operating them.
The Diabolo Tunnel links Brussels Airport with Europe’s high-speed railway network, on the Eurostar and Thalys super trains.
