As the fire and rescue services has limited possibilities to perform rescue operations or to fight fires in tunnels under construction, the tunnel constructors have to work systematically with both prevention and mitigation within the field. During the construction phase the tunnel surroundings are essentially different from the phases later in the tunnel life cycle. The construction phase can be divided in two main parts – the tunnel before and after the break through. The possibilities both for safe evacuation and successful fire and rescue operations are considerable lower if a fire would occur when the tunnel only have one opening, before the break-through, when the tunnel has a “dead end” the smoke only can spread in one direction. A smoke filled tunnel not only put the evacuating people at risk, but also slows down the transportation speed of the fire and rescue services. Recent calculations shows that the fire and rescue services in some cases, with methods and equipment used today, do not reach the rescue chambers or the evacuating people in time. This paper discusses the fire and rescue services limitations under the construction phase, but from the contractor perspective. Recommendations regarding systematic fire prevention, risk reduction and fire mitigation are made and the importance of the interaction between the fire and rescue services and the tunnel contractors are discussed and analyzed.