A fiery pile-up inside a highway tunnel on Thursday killed at least two people and left 70 needing treatment as dozens fled toxic smoke from burning vehicles, police and media said.
The accident happened around 7:30 a.m. inside the 840-meter Hachihonmatsu tunnel on the Sanyo Expressway in Higashi-hiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture, according to a local police spokesman.
A truck crashed into several vehicles that were stopped inside the tunnel, causing it and at least one other vehicle to catch fire, he said.
Local media said a dozen vehicles were involved, with at least five cars burning.
Public broadcaster NHK showed dramatic images of dark, thick smoke bellowing out of the tunnel as dozens of firefighters and police officers descended on the scene.
Emergency crews were seen assisting those who fled the tunnel, with a tent erected to assist those in medical need.
The fire was put out a little more than two hours after the accident, the police spokesman said.
Two people, including a woman, were confirmed dead, though the gender of the other fatality could not immediately be determined, the spokesman added.
Local media said about 70 other people were sent to hospitals for treatment and observation.
Police did not have immediate information about the severity of their injuries, the spokesman added, but media did not report any were in critical condition.
Police said traffic had been moving slowly due to a two-truck collision in the same tunnel three hours earlier.
japan Today
No comments:
Post a Comment