The Frejus Tunnel between Italy
and France was closed Thursday after a crash left a truck in
flames on the French side of the key road link.
One person was hurt, but not seriously, rescue services
said.
Three accidents, one fatal, have caused the tunnel to be
shut three times in the last 10 years.
On November 29, 2010 the link was closed after another
lorry blaze, leading to the construction of a new, additional
rescue tunnel completed a year later.
However, no one was hurt or affected by smoke inhalation on
that occasion.
On January 9, 2007 the tunnel was briefly closed after a
truck caught fire, also on the French side.
The fire started after the brakes on the truck began
overheating. Motorists and truck drivers behind the lorry were
forced to abandon their vehicles and take refuge in the Alpine
tunnel's security bays.
They were later escorted out by rescue workers.
The 12.7-km-long tunnel remained closed for 90 minutes
while the emergency was dealt with.
In June 2005 a blaze broke out inside the Frejus tunnel
which cost the lives of two people, both truck drivers.
The fire started on a truck which was transporting tires
and quickly spread to three other trucks.
Firemen said afterwards that they had battled
temperatures which topped 1,000 degrees centigrade and it
took them more than a day to put the blaze out.
The tunnel was subsequently closed for two months for
repairs.
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