The Liefkenshoek railway link is equipped with the necessary safety equipment including a linear fire detection system, a unique foam extinguishing system, smoke and heat dissipation, gas detection, camera monitoring, access control and other measures. The control room in Antwerp Central will constantly control and monitor this safety equipment (24/7).

These systems are automatically activated as soon as a calamity occurs in the tunnels (such as a fire, a gas leak, an intrusion, …) so that hazardous substances can also be safely transported between the left and the right banks.

Moreover, evacuation shafts (14) and underground cross-passages (13) have been built at regular intervals between the two tunnel shafts as well as the necessary access roads. This allows for the fast evacuation of any personnel in the tunnels in case of an incident and also facilitates efficient access for the emergency services in case of an intervention.

 

The operational foam extinguishing system in Beveren railway tunnel

 

A ventilator of the smoke and heat dissipation system