The Kaprun Funicular Fire

The Kaprun Funicular Fire

May 30, 2026 · 20 min · Episode 82

About this episode

This episode examines the Kaprun Funicular Fire, a deadly transport disaster in Austria.

In this episode of Compact Disasters, we examine the Kaprun Funicular Fire, one of the deadliest Alpine transport disasters in modern history. On 11 November 2000, a ski train carrying passengers towards the Kitzsteinhorn glacier caught fire inside a steep tunnel near Kaprun, Austria. What began as an ordinary journey to the slopes became a catastrophic failure of design, escape planning, and emergency preparedness. We look at how the fire started, why the tunnel became so deadly, how only a handful escaped, and why the legal aftermath left many families still searching for accountability. Visit our website: Compact Disasters Find us on our social media sites: Facebook Instagram Pinterest Youtube #KaprunFunicularFire, #KaprunDisaster, #CompactDisasters, #AustrianHistory, #TransportDisaster, #TunnelFire, #DisasterHistory, #RailwaySafety, #FireSafety, #EngineeringFailure

People in this episode

Host: Compact Disasters

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Kaprun, Austria, Kitzsteinhorn glacier

More episodes of Compact Disasters

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Compact Disasters podcast page.