Gas alarm in the Rennsteigtunnel: Fast evacuation saves family!

Gas alarm in the Rennsteigtunnel: Fast evacuation saves family!

The Autobahn 71 had all hands full at Zella-Mehli at the level of the racing tunnel. A curious incident caused a short block of the tunnel and stalled the traffic flows. The driver of a motorhome noticed that the gas warning detector in her vehicle made the alarm. She reacted immediately with a clear head and controlled the motorhome with her three children in a holding bay in the tunnel. After this right decision, she informed the local control center, which promptly alerted the tunnel fire brigade.

Security measures came first: the tunnel was immediately completely blocked to rule out potential dangers. Emergency services carried out numerous measurements with a gas measuring device and luckily could not find any dangerous leaks. During the approximately 30-minute closure, the fire brigade looked after the family and ensured that nothing happened to them. After measurement and confirmation of harmlessness, the tunnel was released again, and the motorhome was able to continue its journey. Nevertheless, the situation led to a backlog of about three kilometers on the A71, which meant a small game of patience for the other road users.

more serious incidents in the Rennststeigtunnel

Today's incident also throws light on the security persons in the Rennsteigtunnel, which is considered one of the important traffic arteries in the region. Last year, on February 8, 2025, there was a much more dramatic situation than a ripe fire caught in a fully loaded truck. The 41-year-old driver acted bravely and first tried to extinguish the fire himself. When this did not work, he ran to the next breakdown bay to make the emergency call. With an impressive use, he then bravely drove six kilometers out of the tunnel while the fire spread. Nine vehicles were affected and the tunnel fire brigade carried out comprehensive fire fighting. The consequences were serious, the damage incurred was estimated at around 250,000 euros, but luckily there were no injuries.

In the region, tunnels are not an isolated case. The Emstunnel also recently experienced an emergency in Leer: a burning car led to a full closure of the motorway 31. The alarmed firefighters worked with high pressure on combating the fire by making their special equipment available and could bring the situation under control. Tunneal testing proved itself once again by ensuring effective smoke extraction and preventing injuries from road users.

These incidents in the Rennsteigtunnel and elsewhere show the importance of quick action and the professional cooperation of the emergency services. It is only to be hoped that such situations can be avoided in the future and that both travelers and the emergency services will always be safe.