Three 2001 disasters left lasting marks on Swiss politics

The Gotthard tunnel fire, the Zug parliament shooting and Swissair’s grounding in 2001 led to lasting changes in Switzerland’s infrastructure, security and public attitudes towards business, SRF reports.

Gotthard fire prompted tunnel upgrades

On 24 October 2001, two lorries collided in the Gotthard Tunnel, triggering a fire in which temperatures reached 1,200 degrees Celsius. The ceiling collapsed over a stretch of about 100 metres, and 11 people died.

The disaster prompted safety upgrades in tunnels across Switzerland. The federal government has since modernised 220 tunnels at a cost of nearly two billion francs, including improvements to ventilation and lighting and the construction of escape passages.

At the Gotthard, a traffic metering system introduced in 2002 limits passage to 1,000 cars per hour in each direction. Each lorry counts as three cars. A second tunnel tube, now under construction, is expected to eliminate oncoming traffic and improve escape options. Discussions about building it began after the 2001 fire.

Swissair collapse eroded trust in business

Swissair’s expansion strategy failed, and on 2 October 2001 the airline became unable to pay its bills. Its aircraft were grounded at Zurich Airport and elsewhere around the world.

Political analyst Michael Hermann says the collapse widened the divide between the public and business. He points to a series of subsequent referendum decisions opposed by business, including the initiative against excessive executive pay, which voters approved decisively in 2013. After Swissair’s grounding, Hermann says, voters increasingly stopped believing that what was good for business was also good for Switzerland. He says the relationship between the public and business has never fully recovered.

Zug shooting led to tighter security

On 27 September 2001, a gunman entered the Zug government building and shot dead 14 people within minutes. He wounded 18 others, some seriously, before killing himself.

In response, the Federal Office of Police expanded its work, including threat management. Patrick Wittwer, head of the federal security service, says officers visit people who have made threats to assess whether they are serious and whether further measures are needed. Security checks were also introduced at the entrances to the Federal Palace and other public buildings.

Tags: Switzerland, Gotthard Tunnel, Swissair