Current Affairs Melting snow causes almost five hour halt on Prague metro line
Prague residents have long been used to the city’s efficient metro system but efficiency wasn’t the word that came to mind for many commuters on Wednesday, when a part of the oldest line in the system was closed off for more than four hours. Announcements were played in a loop outside stations every few minutes warning travelers of the situation. The crux of the problem? Heavy snow that had melted in the metro tunnel within Prague’s Nusle bridge.
Photo: CTK
Prague’s 37-year-old Nusle bridge, 40 metres high in places and almost
half a kilometer long, is a crucial link on Prague’s Metro line C,
containing within a tunnel connecting separate parts of the city. But on
Wednesday, it proved the weakest link, as heavy snow on the bridge’s
surface – a six-lane throughway – melted. Water made its way into the
tunnel causing electrical damage, forcing closure on part of the line,
between stations Pražského povstaní and Florenc, from two in the
afternoon to seven in the evening. Firefighters were called to the scene
to
try to pump the water out and mop up; Pavlína Adamcová is a
representative for the fire brigade:
“Our crews were sent into the tunnel at almost half past two: melting water that had made its way into the tunnel short-circuited the electronics and caused a small fire.”
Photo: CTK
As a result part of the line had to be shut down, leaving thousands of
commuters temporarily stranded, many waiting patiently outside stations
doors hoping travel would resume soon. But it didn’t, leaving many
running very late. Prague’s Public Transit Co. in the meantime scrambled
to get alternative busses – up to 40 of them – onto the streets. And,
even though the problem on line C was fixed by Wednesday evening and
transit resumed, it’s not yet clear more extensive repairs won’t be
needed. The transit company’s spokeswoman, Ilona Vysoudilová, said
this:
“It depends whether there is more extensive damage to insulation in the tunnel or not. If it has only been soaked through, it can be dried out, it shouldn’t take too long. But it’s possible that the insulation will need to be fully replaced.”
Nusle Bridge, photo: Adam Zivner, Wikipedia
Many observers note that although the Nusle Bridge underwent repairs in
the 1990s after more than 30 years standing it is not in great technical
shape. The Prague Technical Road Administration, for example, has said the
bridge needs repairs to its inner casing as well as seams but renovation
would cost more than the city,at least until Wednesay,appeared
willing to commit. One City Hall representative also told a Czech
newspaper on
Wednesday that closing off a major transit route for longer at
this time was unthinkable, and would cause chaos for commuters, given how
many thousands rely on line C every single day. The crux is that Prague
has
only seen the beginning of winter, one that has already been difficult,
and
if this season is anything like the last, there could easily be a lot more
snow – and problems with it.
