The matter in summary: The site of the accident was not investigated when experts mapped the landslide hazard on the Nordlandsbanen in 2022. Bane Nor confirms that there was no landslide warning equipment at the accident site, and that no further measures were considered necessary because a number of measures had already been taken there. The Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI) confirms that they did not make an assessment of the accident site when they mapped the landslide hazard on the Nordlandsbanen. Bane Nor has not commented that the accident site was not mapped. Race warnings have been set up at several other places along the Nordlandsbanen. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. Locomotive driver Rolf Henry Ankersen (60) died when the train from Trondheim derailed at Finneidfjord in Hemnes municipality in Nordland. The place where the accident happened is between Mosjøen and Mo i Rana on the Nordlandsbanen. Two landslide warning systems have already been set up on this stretch. There were no flashing yellow lights at the scene of the accident, and Bane Nor considered that other measures were sufficient. This place was also not examined, when experts mapped the landslide hazard on the Nordlandsbanen in 2022. Landslide Both the locomotive and the first carriage slid down a slope, ending up just opposite the E6 at Finneidfjord. There were 46 passengers and three employees on the train from SJ which was on its way to Bodø. Four passengers were injured and taken to hospital. None of them suffered life-threatening injuries. The place is prone to landslides. In the same place, an evening train from Bodø ran into a boulder and derailed in October 2016. Two of the 14 passengers were injured. After this slide, Bane Nor took several measures at the site to prevent new slides from the mountain. The need for more measures was not assessed Bane Nor confirms that there was no landslide warning equipment at the scene of the accident. Such facilities mean that train drivers are notified if there has been a landslide. In that case, two yellow lights will flash on a post by the rails. If all is well, there is a white flashing light. In 2018, extensive security work was carried out with netting and bolting at the same place where the derailment occurred, Bane Nor informs. Smaller measures were taken after a geological assessment in 2021. – Did you consider setting up a landslide warning system at this location? – The need for measures was not assessed, because a number of measures had already been taken here, says press officer Anne Kirkhusmo in Bane Nor. Bane Nor then refers to the fact that Norway’s Geotechnical Institute (NGI) carried out a landslide survey of the entire Nordlandsbanen in 2022. Now it turns out that NGI never made a new assessment at the accident site two years ago. A stone block fell onto the track at Finneidfjord on the Nordlandsbanen. Photo: Ingvart Strand Mølster Avalanche survey not done NGI confirms to news that they did avalanche mapping on the Nordlandsbanen a couple of years ago, but states that the accident site at Finneidfjord was not mapped. It was not part of the mission from Bane Nor. – It is correct that NGI carried out landslide mapping of the Nordlandsbanen in 2022. Our mission was to assess the risk of avalanches along the train line. In the agreement with Bane Nor, it was clear that we were not to make assessments where security measures had already been taken, says communications manager Øydis Ulrikke Castberg at NGI. This means that NGI did not make an assessment of landslide-prone places on the Nordlandsbanen, where landslide protection has already been done. – Security measures had been taken at the scene of the accident, when we traveled the area in 2022, and we therefore did no further assessment of the security here, in accordance with the agreement, she says. NOT MAPPED ACCIDENT SITE: Communications manager at NGI, Øydis Ulrikke Castberg, says they did avalanche mapping on the Nordlandsbanen, but not where measures had been taken, such as at the accident site. Photo: NGI Bane Nor silent on the fact that the site was not mapped news has asked Bane Nor for a comment on the fact that the accident site was bypassed, when NGI carried out landslide mapping on the Nordlandsbanen in 2022. The company does not want to comment on this, and Kirkhusmo writes this in an e- post: “The National Accident Investigation Board and Bane NOR’s Investigation and Analysis Unit are now investigating the accident, the cause of it and what could possibly have been done differently. It is not natural to answer these questions in more detail before the results of the investigations are clear.” More landslide warnings nearby Elsewhere near the accident site, the train driver is notified if there has been a landslide. Several facilities have been set up between Mosjøen and Mo i Rana on the Nordlandsbanen. Race warning has been set up on Nordvika by the Elsfjord in Vefsn, covering an area of 120 metres. Race warning has been set up at Mellomura by the Sørfjorden, covering an area of 231 metres. Where there is a landslide warning, a landslide warning fence is placed by the track, which gives signals to a warning system in the event of a landslide. Banen NOR does not wish to comment on the benefit of these warning systems on the Nordlandsbanen. Thor Gjermund Eriksen in Bane Nor came to Finneidfjord the day after the accident. Photo: Frank Nygård / news Managing Director of Bane Nor, Thor Gjermund Eriksen, said that the accident is sad and tragic, when he was at the scene of the accident last week. He said that this is an area that is known to be prone to landslides, and that extensive landslide protection has been done. – Is it sufficient? – Today, when we stand here, both you and I know that things went downhill there now. Stating that it is sufficient would almost be disrespectful, says Eriksen. Believes Norwegian railways are in bad shape: You can read more about the new report here. Published 31.10.2024, at 05.11
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Did not check the crash site in a large survey – news Trøndelag – Local news, TV and radio
