Dozens injured in Norway road tunnel fire

Dozens of people had to be taken to hospital after being caught in a fire in a road tunnel in western Norway.

An articulated lorry caught fire about 3km into the 11.4km-long Gudvangatunnelen in a district east of Bergen.

The tunnel was evacuated and some 55 people were taken to hospital.

A rescue services spokesman said the lights went out in the tunnel after the fire. Most of the injured suffered smoke inhalation, but some had minor injuries after they crashed their cars in the darkness.

The truck driver was among those who walked away uninjured. The cause of the fire is not yet known.

The tunnel - Norway’s second longest - carries traffic close to the Naeroey fjord, which is considered one of the country’s most beautiful and is a major draw for tourists during the summer season.

Agencies