the rescuers worked in darkness to avoid the risk of a firedamp explosion. By 7pm that evening an opening was made, of tunnel had been dug by hand in five days. All of the 74 miners in Goffin's part survived and were brought to the surface. Transport Air Liège is served by Liège Airport, located in Bierset, a few kilometres west of the city. It is the principal axis for the delivery of freight and in 2011 was the world's 33rd busiest cargo airport. Passenger services are very few. Maritime The Port of Liège, located on the river Meuse, is the 3rd largest river port in Europe. Liège also has direct links to Antwerp through the Albert Canal and to Rotterdam via the river Meuse. Rail Liège is served by many direct rail links with the rest of Western Europe. Its three principal stations are Liège-Guillemins railway station, Liège-Carré, and Liège-Saint-Lambert. The InterCity Express and Thalys call at Liège-Guillemins, providing direct connections to Cologne and Frankfurt and Paris-Nord respectively. Liège was once home to a network of trams. However, they were removed by 1967 in favour of the construction of a new metro system. A prototype of the metro was built and a tunnel was dug underneath the city, but the metro was never built. The construction of a new modern tramway has been ordered and was once scheduled to open by 2017; however the first rails were only laid in April 2021. Road Liège sits at the crossroads of a number of highways including the European route E25, the European Route E42, the European Route E40 and the European Route E313. Notable people Alger of Liège (11th century), learned priest Nicolas Ancion (born 1971), writer Jacques Arcadelt (16th century), composer Nacer Chadli (born 1989), football player Charlemagne (birth in Liège uncertain, 8th century), King of the Franks, then crowned emperor Johannes Ciconia (14th century), composer, Master of the Ars Nova Steve Darcis, (born 1984), tennis player Jean d'Outremeuse (14th century), writer and historian Benoît Debie (born 1968), cinematographer Theodor de Bry (1528–1598), engraver Louis De Geer (1587–1652), introducer of Walloon blast furnaces in Sweden Gérard de Lairesse (1640–1711), painter Jean-Maurice Dehousse (born 1936), politician, Walloon movement activists, first Minister-President of the Walloon Region Serge Delaive (born 1965), writer Marie Delcourt (1891–1979), professor at the University, expert of the ancient Greek religion, Walloon movement activist Louis Dewis (1872–1946), pseudonym for