Ep 9. Fire on the Ski Slope

In the ninth episode of season 1 of Seconds From Disaster, entitled "Fire on the Ski Slope," we delve into the catastrophic events that occurred at the Kaprun ski resort in Austria on November 11th, 2000.

The episode begins with a dramatic recreation of the incident, as skiers and snowboarders make their way up the mountain on a funicular train known as the Gletscherbahn II. Suddenly, there is a loud bang, and smoke begins to fill the cabin. Chaos ensues as passengers frantically try to escape, but the doors are jammed shut and there is no way out.

We then backtrack to the morning of November 11th, as the resort prepares for another day of winter sports. An expert on ski lift safety explains the rigorous testing and maintenance that ski lifts undergo, and we see workers checking the Gletscherbahn II before it begins operation. Everything appears to be in order, but disaster is looming.

As we learn more about the Gletscherbahn II, we discover that it is a unique type of funicular train that runs not just on a track, but also on a cable. This combination makes it especially difficult to design and maintain. We also hear from eyewitnesses who were on the train that day, including a British woman who recalls smelling burning oil just moments before the explosion.

The investigation into the cause of the fire is the focus of the remainder of the episode. Experts are called in to analyze the wreckage and piece together what happened. They discover that a small electric heater used to keep the funicular train warm had malfunctioned, causing oil in the hydraulic system to overheat and ignite. The resulting explosion blew out a manhole cover on the bottom of the cabin, which allowed flames to shoot up into the passenger area.

The episode also explores the factors that contributed to the tragedy. We learn that the Gletscherbahn II had been modified several times since it was first put into operation in the 1970s, and that safety regulations in Austria allowed these changes to be made without proper oversight. We also hear from family members of the victims, who are still struggling to come to terms with the loss of their loved ones.

Overall, "Fire on the Ski Slope" is a sobering reminder of the dangers that can lurk in seemingly innocuous places. It also highlights the importance of rigorous safety standards and proper oversight, particularly in industries where human lives are at stake. The episode is a fascinating and informative look at one of the deadliest ski resort disasters in history.