New fire training facilities have been erected in Andelfingen

(CONNECT) Construction of the new training facilities at the Andelfingen Training Center (AZA) has reached another milestone with the topping-out ceremony, according to a press release from the Zurich Cantonal Building Insurance Corporation (GVZ). The project, which cost approximately 40 million Swiss francs, includes a high-rise building simulation facility and a hall with a fire basement. The GVZ is financing the project with fire safety fees and bears overall responsibility.

The high-rise simulation facility reaches a height of 24 meters and consists of six full stories, two basement levels, and a penthouse level. On a 1,832-square-meter site, emergency responders will be able to train, among other things, in how to respond to high-rise fires. To this end, the building will be equipped with a fire department elevator, a smoke control system, and sprinkler and fire alarm systems. The 17-meter-high training hall also has two basement levels. Their fire simulation facility allows for training sessions regardless of weather conditions and the simulation of fires underground.

Construction workers, fire safety officers, and GVZ appraisers are also expected to use the facilities. “The new training facilities are an investment in civil protection,” said Mario Fehr, Zurich’s Director of Security and Chairman of the GVZ Board of Directors.

The construction project will use, among other things, 2,900 cubic meters of concrete, more than two-thirds of which is made from recycled concrete rubble. The 350 metric tons of reinforcing steel consist entirely of recycled steel. A flue gas scrubbing system is designed to clean the combustion gases produced during live-fire exercises. Following completion, which is scheduled for mid-2027, the new facilities are expected to begin operations in phases starting in early 2028. They will subsequently become the property of the Canton of Zurich, and the AZA is responsible for their operation. ce/as