The Metro Tunnels are about to open, but firefighters say they won’t use them
It’s the $15.5 billion jewel in the Victorian Government’s crown — a sparkling new train network. There’s a reason firefighters won’t use it.
Melbourne’s soon-to-open Metro Tunnels are an engineering marvel, built up to 40 metres under the CBD — the height of a 12-storey building.
They are also a welcome and much-needed addition to the ageing train network that has struggled to keep up with a booming population.
For eight years, works have edged closer to completion on five new state-of-the-art stations at Parkville, Arden, Town Hall, State Library and Anzac — near the Shrine of Remembrance.
But with just eight weeks until the much-anticipated $15.5 billion network opens to the public, Melbourne firefighters say there’s a problem.
The depth of the tunnels presents a unique challenge — one that they cannot currently meet, they say.
They say their equipment is dated and inappropriate for handling an emergency that far underground.
How worried are they? Well, Kristjan Tuul, a Melbourne firefighter with 20 years of experience, says he would not use the tunnels and he will not let him family ride on the new network.
“I’ve been a firefighter and resident in the City of Melbourne for 20 years and I cannot believe the Allan Government is about to open the Metro Tunnel in two months time,” Mr Tuul said in a now-viral video posted to the United Firefighters Union’s social pages.
“The deepest part of the tunnel is up to 42 metres underground and the fact of the matter is we don’t have the equipment to save you.
“For over a year we’ve been asking Fire Rescue Victoria and the Allan Government for the equipment we need to keep Victorians safe and to do our job properly.
“They’ve continued to ignore us and because of that we don’t have the equipment that we need to safely rescue anyone.
“There is no way I’ll be letting my family use the Metro Tunnels and I don’t think any Victorian should be using them until we have the equipment to keep everyone safe.
“Would you use them?”
Speaking to news.com.au, Mr Tuul said he has never faced an issue like this in two decades of saving lives.
“I’m terrified at the thought that my family, my friends are going to use the Metro Tunnel without firefighters having the equipment to respond in an emergency,” he said.
He told news.com.au that there’s no issue with the construction of the tunnels.
“The construction is first class. It’s about the safety of firefighters responding to an emergency.”
Specifically, Mr Tuul said there are no long duration breathing apparatus available after the existing equipment expired in recent months.
He says that means that a firefighter needing to enter the tunnels would have no more than 20 minutes of oxygen and that’s simply not enough.
“It’s the travel time from the entrance of the tunnel down to where the rail line is. That takes time, especially when you’re carrying equipment and carrying people out.
“That’s just responding to an emergency on the platforms. It could be that there’s an issue half way down the tunnel.”
He said that this is the first time in two decades he has felt the need to speak up.
The UFU said in a statement that the Metro Tunnel “may look shiny in the Premier’s PR media, but behind the scenes it’s a disaster waiting to happen”.
“For over 12 months, firefighters have been warning the Allan Government about serious safety risks — but they’ve ignored those warnings to save money at the expense of public safety.
“While they focus on photo ops and publicity, they’re cutting fire service budgets and ignoring the experts who keep Victorians safe.”
A Victorian Government spokesperson dismissed their concerns in a statement to news.com.au.
“The Metro Tunnel will open safely and in early December with no limitations to fire response capabilities,” a spokesperson said.
News.com.au approached Fire Rescue Victoria for comment. Attributable to an FRV spokesperson:
A spokesperson said that contrary to UFU claims, there is “no impact to community safety” and that there are 10 sets of long duration breathing apparatus available.
“At Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV), the safety of our firefighters, first responder colleagues, and the communities we serve is our highest priority,” the spokesperson said.
“FRV has collaborated closely with stakeholders from the Metro Tunnel Project to ensure fire safety and emergency response considerations were embedded into the tunnel’s design.
“From the outset, the Metro Tunnel’s design principles were aligned with FRV’s operational standards, including the minimum principle of 30-minute working duration for Breathing Apparatus (BA).
“Following the identification of a small number of faults, FRV made the decision to temporarily take its Long Duration Breathing Apparatus (LDBA) out of commission to allow for comprehensive testing and to ensure the safety of personnel.
“This testing has been completed on 10 sets which have been issued to South Melbourne Fire Station for our breathing apparatus specialist appliance. These Long Duration Breathing Apparatus sets are up to specification and are compliant within relevant safety standards.
“We are also ensuring our firefighters have access to this equipment through arrangements with the Country Fire Authority.”
The back and forth has been going for months.
In July, UFU Vice President David Black said firefighters would be exposed to “toxic air” in an subterranean emergency.
“We know that emergencies in the Metro Tunnel are likely to require us to operate in toxic air that can’t be dispersed for extended periods of time,” he said.
“We know that our current gear is passing its use-by date in two months and won’t be safe to use.”
In September, the Union said it was equipped with just a single unit that supplies firefighters with 40 minutes of air after multiple units purchased in 2009 “failed safety testing”.
In October, firefighters labelled the tunnels a “death trap”.
“The Melbourne Metro Tunnel is a death trap,” Union Secretary Peter Marshall said.
“Firefighters simply do not have the equipment needed to cover emergencies in this $15 billion ticking time bomb.
“The arrogance of this government and this Premier is astounding. Firefighters are worried. And if firefighters are worried, the public should be as well.”
The Premier has been spruiking the Metro Tunnel project in recent weeks.
“The Metro Tunnel is the biggest transformation of Melbourne’s rail network in more than 40 years and frees up space in the City Loop to run more trains, more often, on more lines,” she said.
“What an incredible moment for our state — Victorians have patiently waited for this tunnel to get built underneath their feet and behind big sheds, and now they’ll be able to use it.
“The Metro Tunnel will transform Melbourne, cut congestion and get you to work, uni and home sooner – and it opens in early December, a year ahead of schedule.”
Originally published as The Metro Tunnels are about to open, but firefighters say they won’t use them
Join the conversation
IVF clinic hit with new conditions after bungles
Read more
Why cops won’t charge boy after stabbing
Read more