Four-year-old boy among five dead after tunnel truck fire in eastern China
- Investigators in Zhejiang say fire from tyres spread to truck’s load of leather goods
- Three children were airlifted from Linhai to Hangzhou for hospital treatment
Five people, including a four-year-old boy, were killed and 31 were injured in eastern China after a freight truck caught fire in a motorway tunnel, Chinese media reported.
Investigators said the fire started on the tyres of the truck as it neared the middle of the 3.7km (2.3 mile) Maoliling tunnel near Taizhou in Zhejiang province at about 6.27pm on Tuesday, news portal Zjol.com.cn reported.
As the cargo of leather goods caught fire, the driver – 46-year-old Qin Houyu from southeastern Anhui province – stopped in the slow lane, causing a traffic jam. Heavy smoke from the burning cargo spread quickly, leaving more than 80 vehicles and 100 passengers stranded.
Traffic police said the truck was burning out of control when they arrived at the scene two minutes later. It was extinguished by about 9.25pm, they said.
Five of the 36 people taken to hospital in the small city of Linhai were pronounced dead by doctors. Fourteen suffered smoke inhalation and were sent to intensive care.