By Peter Allen PUBLISHED: 11:05 EST, 5 October 2012 | UPDATED: 11:06 EST, 5 October 2012 Professional fire-fighters who have fought blazes in the Channel Tunnel for the past 18 years are to be replaced by untrained security guards, it emerged today. It follows a breakdown in contract talks between Eurotunnel, which manages the undersea link, and the Pas-de-Calais fire service (SDIS). The company was trying to renegotiate a 2m pounds plus annual deal with SDIS but the French fire-fighters pulled out. Threat: A damaged Eurotunnel shuttle train following an a blaze in 1997. Contract talks between Eurotunnel and the Calais fire service have broken down meaning firefighters are to be replaced by untrained security guards
@highlight
Talks break down between Eurotunnel chiefs and the Calais fire service
@highlight
The tunnel has seen three fires since it was opened in 1994
@highlight
The Calais fire brigade has base just 10 minutes from the tunnel entrance
It lasted for 16 hours and reached temperatures of 1000 C, yet swift action by the @placeholder fire-fighters meant only 14 people out of 32 on the train suffered minor injuries, including smoke inhalation.