Summit Tunnel fire 30 years ago

Photo: Fire West Yorkshire

Thousands of gallons of petrol burned sending flames hundreds of feet in the air via the ventilation tunnels

On Thursday 20 December 1984 a fully loaded tanker train became derailed in the depths of the famous Summit Tunnel between Littleborough and Todmorden.

Thirteen tankers containing petrol caught fire and thousands of gallons of petrol burned sending flames hundreds of feet in the air via the ventilation tunnels. The fire burnt for days.

Fire fighter Deon Webber recalls the fire: "I was one of the first officers from Rochdale Fire Station to enter the tunnel from the Littleborough end," he said.

The buildings in the vicinity were evacuated and news headlines were made in the national newspapers, and the accident was also covered by the TV media.

The inside brick walls of the tunnel turned to glass in the intense heat. When the tunnel eventually cooled down, the tankers were removed and repairs to the tunnel commenced. The rail line was closed for around a year.

An official enquiry was set into motion by the Department of Transport.

The fire remains to this day one of the biggest underground transport fires ever.

http://www.firewestyorkshire.com/summittunneldec20th.htm

http://www.telerail.co.uk/Incident.htm