Background
At 10:17 AM on September 21, 2001, a powerful explosion happened in the fertilizer plant (chemical industry), AZF, close to the premises of Telespazio France in Toulouse. The explosion was heard tens of kilometres away and resulted in the deaths of 31 people and more than 2500 injured. As it happened only one week after the World Trade Centre terrorist attack in New York, the level of panic was high. All the fixed and mobile telecommunication networks were down until the evening, which meant no one could know exactly what had happened, except those who happened to be close to the chemical plant.
Contradictory instructions were given to the public, to return home or stay in their working place. Hundreds of people attempted to evacuate Toulouse by car on crowded highways, where accidents were reported after drivers were injured by the shattered glass of their car windows after the blast. This panic continued until the end of the afternoon, when official information could finally be spread via radios and TVs. At Telespazio that day, some 100 people had to follow the emergency evacuation procedure, without knowing the exact situation, and without any way of knowing what had happened to their dear ones.
Incidents like the one at AZF highlight how disasters can spread far beyond their point of origin, affecting nearby infrastructure and indoors environments where people work, study, travel or relax. Emergencies like this underline the importance of timely, accurate public warning to minimise people’s exposure to danger.
The demonstration
Taking place in Riga at the EENA 2026 Conference & Exhibition, this demonstration showcased a big innovation of the AWARE project. GNSS signals are not able to go through walls. But the AWARE module, integrated in indoor warning systems, can bring Galileo EWSS-based alerts directly indoors!
The scenario simulated the explosion of a chemical facility near Riga, triggering a large fire and the release of hazardous smoke into the surrounding area. As the situation escalated, the Latvian Civil Protection Authority issued emergency alerts through Galileo EWSS to warn the population and provide clear safety instructions.
The demonstration showed satellite alerts appearing directly on connected screens indoors, showing messages in English and Latvian. The public warnings messages evolved in real time: an initial warning instructed citizens to close windows and ventilation systems, followed by an updated alert as the chemical hazard intensified, and finally an “All Clear” notification once the situation was under control.
At this third and final demonstration, we showed once again how AWARE strengthens public warning by extending messages beyond smartphone-based alerts and enabling the dissemination of crucial information over different channels. By bringing satellite-based alerts indoors, AWARE ensures that people receive quick, accurate warnings, keeping them protected and safe.