The Channel Tunnel fire of 18 November 1996 occurred on a train carrying heavy goods vehicles and their drivers through the Channel Tunnel from France to Great Britain. The fire began after the train had loaded and was travelling through the French terminal to the tunnel portal. The flames were noticed by security guards shortly before the train went underground. Although they raised the alarm, the train was well into the tunnel by the time the driver was advised that his train might be on fire. He attempted to drive the train to the other end, but an unrelated fault forced the train to make a controlled stop in the tunnel. After approximately twenty minutes of exposure to smoke-laden air, the passengers and crew evacuated into the adjacent service tunnel. No one was killed during the fire, although seven people were taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation. The fire destroyed a locomotive and ten HGVs, caused major damage to approximately one kilometre of tunnel infrastructure and severely tested the abilities of fire brigades from both France and the UK.