Tunnel fires have always been an accident that fire departments in various countries do not want to see. In general, the inside of the tunnel is crowded and cannot allow large firefighting vehicles to unfold. At the same time, the oxygen content inside the tunnel is low, and the raging fire will bring deadly low oxygen. How to deal with the fire in the tunnel has become a very difficult problem. Double-headed fire trucks, low-level fire trucks, these expensive, special structure vehicles are to protect the safety of personnel and property in the event of fire.
In today's article, Tiga Commercial Vehicle Network will take you to see a special low-level fire truck. It's based on a MANN TGS 8x6 chassis, with bah and an Italian-made top and a rear axle follow-up steering. These configurations are all designed to make the fire truck have stronger acceleration, steering and other maneuverability. The vehicles were commissioned in the Mont Blanc Tunnel and four of the same type were built. Three of them are deployed in three fire stations inside the tunnel, and one of them performs patrols, reinforcements and other tasks. The low-level fire truck seen today is the second of four of its kind, operated by the Italian side.
From the outside, the vehicle looks like it has been cut off from its lower body. Like many low-entry trucks, the cab position of this TGS has been moved forward, lowered in height, and placed in front of the engine as a whole. As a result, the intake grille under the front hood is cut off. In this way, the total height of the vehicle can be controlled within 3 meters. The front cover of the vehicle is equipped with a number of large-size flashing lights with red and white stripes to enhance the warning effect.
The entire bumper is made of pure steel to avoid damage to the cab caused by foreign body impacts. Eight round lights are installed inside the bumper as headlights for the vehicle, and there is a trailer hook to facilitate the rescue of the vehicle.
The front water cannon with lighting and thermal imager is also installed on the bumper, which enables the first firefighting work.
The structural modification of the vehicle was done by the familiar German company Toni Maurer, a specialist in the modification of MAN Trucks. The cab modification and rear axle steering transformation were all completed by the company.
The vehicle is modeled on the TGS 35.540 8x6H BL, which features a 13-litre displacement D2676 engine with 540 hp and 2,500 Nm of torque to drive the vehicle and pump power. The rear two axles of the vehicle are standard drive axles, while the second axle is the MAN HydroDrive hydraulically driven front axle. B&A gave the car a model named PROTEUS VSAT 13000 S. Thanks to the steerable rear axle, the turning radius of the vehicle is only 8700 mm.
This special black antenna is installed all around the vehicle, and I have not checked its use. Personal speculation is that it should be an antenna used to relay communications in the tunnel.
The perspective shifts to the left side of the body. On the side, the reduced cab height can be seen more clearly. At the same time, a spout of the self-protection system is installed above the cab. The vehicle's bodywork is based on B&A's BAIWAY architecture, with three modules installed, from front to back, in the equipment compartment, the water tank and the equipment compartment. The vehicle's water tank volume reaches 12,150 litres and can also carry 1,000 litres of firefighting foam. The body of the tank is made of stainless steel, while the rest of the tank is made of aluminum and weighs less.
The vehicle adopts a left-driving arrangement, and a quick engine start button is installed behind the left door, which can quickly start the engine outside the car, saving valuable time.
The layout on the right side of the vehicle is the same, and the two equipment compartments occupy a lot of body space. The cabin is equipped with tools, water belts and pump control panels for fire fighting. The exhaust pipe of the vehicle is also mounted on the right side of the body, behind the first axle, and is arranged vertically.
Close-up of the pump operation panel and water pipe. The vehicle is equipped with two Godiva Prima P2B pumps with strong firefighting performance.
The vehicle uses the space on the side of the chassis to install more rescue equipment cabins and carry more equipment to work. In order to facilitate the access to the objects in the equipment cabin, the vehicle is equipped with flip foot pedals behind the first axle and after the fourth axle, which can more easily access the items. There are indicator lights on the foot pedals for added safety.
The rear of the vehicle is slightly wilder. The striped livery of the red and white stripes surrounds the device hatch and forms the bulk of the tail. Pop lights are arranged on the contour of the rear of the car with LED screens, mounted above the equipment hatch to provide a warning to the rear car.
A ladder is also installed at the rear of the car to facilitate climbing to the roof of the car for operation. The sturdy bumper prevents the trolley from rushing into the bottom of the car during a rear-end collision, while the additional trailer hook and coupling allow the vehicle to tow the attached trailer.
More water belts, tank openings, and roof water cannons were installed on the roof. The roof also has openable side armrests to ensure safety during work.
A close-up of the roof water cannon, model Akron FireFox 3463, with filllights and cameras for remote monitoring and control in the cab.
The roof also features lifting light poles, manufactured by Fireco, and four high-power LED searchlights are mounted above them to provide powerful illumination for the fire. When fully raised, it can reach a height of 6 meters.
The interior trim of the vehicle is shown in the picture, which is not much different from the ordinary Mann TGS truck. The seats of the vehicle were replaced by Fireco's fire truck seats, with water cannon control handles and a control panel for the entire vehicle. The cab structure of the vehicle has been strengthened. There is a booster system inside to prevent smoke from entering the car.
Four seats are installed inside the vehicle. In addition to the driver's seat, three firefighter seats were installed using the original car sleeper area. The seats have compressed air breathing system brackets and the co-pilot seat is removed to make it easier for firefighters to wear life support equipment.
In 1999, a fire in the Mont Blanc Tunnel eventually claimed the lives of 42 people. After that accident, France and Italy stepped up tunnel fire protection construction, and more and more cutting-edge fire trucks were put into operation. Today, there are three fire stations along the Mont Blanc Tunnel, equipped with 64 firefighters, trying to extinguish the fire at the first moment. And this B&A tunnel fire truck is their patron saint.
Text: Heseaotter