Spain Inaugurates First Phase of Test and R&D TunnelVicente Alvarez Areces, the president of Asturias in northern Spain, inaugurated on 25th May a EUR1.3 million high temperature fan test station in San Pedro de Anes. The installation is designed to house two benches for testing high temperature fans as well as a storage zone. It is the first phase of Spain's first test and R&D tunnel facility. The 540 m tunnel is a disused narrow gauge railway tunnel. The promoter of the project is Foundation Barredo, an organization specialised in R&D, health, safety and training to the mining industry and underground engineering sector.When completed in 2005, the facility will be used for R&D, trials, training and virtual reality. The tunnel will allow researchers to study the behaviour of fires and explosions in tunnels and underground spaces and to test what are the most efficient barrier mechanisms. Life-size fires will permit the analysis of different ventilation models and facilitate the training of fire fighters, civil protection units, police and rescuers.In addition, Foundation Barredo is developing a simulator based on virtual reality to train operators on a AM50 roadheader. The simulator allows operators to be trained in a work environment much similar to reality.When the tunnel is completed in 2005, Spain will spearhead R&D and training in risk prevention, being one of the few countries to have such a facility like Austria, Norway and Switzerland. The tunnel is designed to be used by national and international companies and institutions. Subscribe to E-News Weekly 11/2003. Visit www.fund-barredo.es 23/04.