A major incident was declared by the fire service and there was travel chaos across north Wales as a result of the fire and thick smoke
A huge fire which saw smoke billowing from the A55 Conwy Tunnel and a major incident being declared could cause disruption for the coming days, the fire service has said.
After the blaze broke out on Thursday afternoon (June 19) there were huge tailbacks on the A55 and surrounding roads as drivers sought alternative routes.
The road was closed in both directions near Conwy until the early hours of Friday morning. However, drivers still face disruption as the westbound carriageway remains closed from J19 to J17.
According to traffic monitoring site Inrix, traffic can use the eastbound tunnel via a contraflow system.
North Wales Live understands that a crane vehicle burst into flames inside the tunnel shortly after 2pm. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here
By 3.42pm, the fire had been declared a “major incident” by North Wales Fire and Rescue Service. In a statement, the service said: “We’re working with multi-agency partners to control the fire, protect the environment and re-open the tunnel as soon as it’s safe to do so.”
North Wales Police initially urged all motorists caught up in queues to “stay in their vehicles due to heavy smoke in the area”. One driver described how he emerged from Conwy Tunnel to see smoke billowing into the sky.
In an update at 5.30pm, the fire service said the fire had been brought under control.
Here is everything we know so far about the major incident:
What have the emergency services said?
The latest update from North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, released at 6pm on Thursday, June 19, says: A multi-agency response is underway following a major incident involving a vehicle fire in the Conwy Tunnel on the westbound A55. The fire was reported at 13:48, and emergency services are working together at the scene.
“The fire is now under control, and we can confirm that there have been no fatalities.
“Due to the scale of the incident and the need for ongoing safety assessments, the Conwy Tunnel remains closed in both directions and is expected to remain closed for a significant amount of time. Detailed inspections will need to be carried out to determine the extent of any damage before the tunnel can be safely re-opened.
“We are aware of the severe disruption that has been caused and that traffic along the A55 has been affected, however diversions are in place. Roads in and around the Colwyn Bay, Conwy, Llanrwst and Betws-y-Coed areas are extremely busy at this time – including nearby villages, and we urge motorists to allow plenty of time for their travels.
“We anticipate that there will be significant disruption for the next few days, and motorists are being advised to allow additional time for their journeys and to keep up to date with the latest traffic and travel information via Traffic Wales.
“We are urging the public to:
- Keep windows and doors closed if you live nearby, as a precaution due to smoke in the area.
- Avoid the area, there are significant delays on the A55 and surrounding routes.
- Use the strategic diversion route.
“We thank the public for their continued patience and cooperation as agencies work together to manage the situation safely and effectively.”
Was anybody injured?
There were fears that people might have been trapped inside the tunnel as smoke billowed out. The emergency services have not yet commented on whether anyone was hurt, but the fire service confirmed there were no fatalities.
When will the tunnel reopen?
On Thursday evening, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said that, “due to the scale of the incident and the need for ongoing safety assessments, the Conwy Tunnel remains closed in both directions and is expected to remain closed for a significant amount of time.
“Detailed inspections will need to be carried out to determine the extent of any damage before the tunnel can be safely re-opened.” They added that they expected there to be “significant disruption” for “the next few days”.
The eastbound tunnel has re-opened, with traffic using it via a contraflow system. As the fire happened in the westbound tunnel, it is understood that this could remain closed for some time. There are unconfirmed reports the closure could last weeks potentially.
‘I thought it might explode’, witnesses say
Eira D’Arcy, who was travelling to Anglesey, said: “The tunnel was still open when we came through. It was scary as I thought it may explode and wanted to get out of the tunnel.”
Another driver told North Wales Live that there was “smoke everywhere” and emergency messages playing in the tunnel.
Marcus Copeland said: “We were coming back from Anglesey when we saw some white smoke coming from the tunnel, then lots of thick black smoke started coming out. We were the closest vehicle to the tunnel at that point, so we pulled over into a slip road and walked up the bank, there was acrid black smoke everywhere. It was really bad.
“You could here audio messages in the tunnel telling people to leave their vehicles and walk out. There are lots of police and fire engines at the scene.
“Cars were being turned round the wrong way on the A55 to come off and we are the last car coming off down a slip road. Looking behind us you can see the A55 is empty, apart from wagons and buses which are also now being turned around. There is still lots of black smoke.
“It is really hot and whatever caused the fire, it could have been caused by the heat.”
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