2008 Channel Tunnel fire

Eurotunnel initially announced that all services would be suspended until 14 September; however, an inspection uncovered no damage to the south tunnel, and empty test shuttles were trialled during the evening of 12 September. A freight train was permitted to enter the tunnel in the early morning hours of 13 September,[11] and limited Eurostar services resumed at 06:00 BST that morning, with 18 services in each direction, including a return journey from London to Disneyland Paris.[12] Some passengers arriving at St Pancras Station reported smelling smoke whilst travelling through the tunnel.[13] A limited passenger shuttle service restarted on 14 September with the 06:18 BST from Folkestone.[14] Services were increased when the section of the north tunnel was reopened from Folkestone to the UK crossover on 22 September,[15] and again on 29 September when the tunnel between the crossovers was brought back into service.[16] While the final sixth of the tunnel was being repaired, trains were limited to 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph) by the Intergovernmental Commission. Service levels were reduced so that only 90% of Eurostar services, 60% of Eurotunnel passenger vehicle shuttles and 70% of the HGV shuttles were able to run,[10] costing Eurotunnel an estimated £185 million (€200 million) in lost revenue.[17]

Repair works were estimated at £60 million.[17] On 18 October, the investigation authority released the damaged section of tunnel back to Eurotunnel,[18] which then assessed the tunnel lining and replaced over one thousand bolts holding the concrete lining. The damaged concrete was then removed with high pressure water jets, damage to the reinforcing steel mesh was repaired, and a new concrete lining applied through a shotcreting process. The process used about 4000 tonnes of new concrete and was completed in early January 2009.[10] During the remainder of January, tunnel equipment was repaired and replaced as necessary, with the installation of overhead line equipment on 28 January.[17] After test runs were carried out, Eurotunnel reopened on 9 February 2009.[19]

When the train stopped in the tunnel due to a fire, the procedure was that the smoke had to be removed by the high powered ventilation before an evacuation could be allowed. However, when the train came to a halt, people saw the smoke and some panicked, broke a window and started evacuating on their own. The evacuation procedure is now shown in nine languages in the lorry driver's club car. Eurotunnel was also concerned because it took 75 minutes before the fire services started to tackle the blaze and that the ventilation was on during this time, fanning the fire and increasing the damage.[10][20] After tests in April 2010, Eurotunnel built four "fire-fighting stations" in the tunnel. When a fire is detected on a train, it continues to the next station, where passengers and crew are evacuated into the service tunnel while an automatic system puts the fire out with water mist. These stations became operational in autumn 2011[21] and were tested in January 2012.[22]

The investigation was led by the French Land Transport Accident Investigation Bureau (Bureau d'Enquêtes sur les Accidents de Transport Terrestre) and supported by the British Rail Accident Investigation Branch. The report was published on 22 November 2010.[23]