Two trains ran simultaneously on a single track, with a section halfway allowing them to pass each other.

The tunnel terminated at the main reception centre, the Alpincenter, where a motorized winch drove the trains.

[1] Some minutes later the conductor reported a fire to the control centre, and failed in an attempt to open the hydraulically operated doors.

The tunnel acted as a blast furnace, sucking oxygen in from below and sending poisonous fumes, heat and the fire itself upwards.

[1] The official inquiry determined that the cause was the failure, overheating and ignition of a fan heater in the conductor's compartments which was not designed for use in a moving vehicle.

The structural flaws of the funicular trains, especially the lack of safety mechanisms, were found to have played a role.

The onboard electric power, hydraulic braking systems, and fan heaters intended for domestic use increased the likelihood of fire.

19-year-old German freestyle skier Sandra Schmitt was one of the victims, at the time the reigning Women's Dual Moguls World Champion.

The track remained in place for over a decade until it and the supporting structure below the tunnel were removed in 2014, leaving just a gap in the trees where it had been.

On 19 February 2004, Judge Manfred Seiss acquitted all 16 suspects, including company officials, technicians, and government inspectors, saying there was insufficient evidence to find them guilty of criminal negligence.