Nine Motorists Killed in Tunnel Failure

A major road tunnel has collapsed in the Yamanashi prefecture Japan, trapping a huge number of vehicles and leaving at least seven people missing, media reports say. Survivors described how large sections of concrete ceiling fell on top and around their cars in the Sasago tunnel. A fire broke out and rescuers have found a number of charred bodies.

The incident started at 08:00 local time (23:00 GMT Saturday), about 80km (50 miles) west of Tokyo on a road that links it to the city of Nagoya. The tunnel is one of the longest in Japan.

Revelations that aging bolts and rods may have led to the devastating highway tunnel collapse that claimed at least nine lives in Japan over the weekend has sparked nationwide anxiety over the safety of decades-old infrastructure.

Yamanashi prefecture police said on Monday. The victims had been traveling in three separate cars through the 4.7-kilometer Sasago tunnel, located in a hilly region on a major highway linking the cities of Nagoya and Tokyo, when thick concrete slabs plunged onto the vehicles Sunday morning. Fires that charred two vehicles made it initially difficult for rescue workers to reach the victims trapped inside. About 270 concrete slabs, weighing over a ton each, collapsed onto the vehicles over a 110-meter stretch of road. Two people have been sent to the hospital for injuries, according to the police.

Central Nippon Expressway, the operator of the Chuo Expressway, said age could have played a role in the cave in. For example, the rods that were supposed to hold the concrete panels against the inner wall of the tunnel could had become loose over time or the deterioration of key metal fittings like the anchor bolt may have caused the pieces to fall out. The tunnel was first opened to traffic in 1977. A company spokesman said it is unknown whether the metal parts have been replaced since the tunnel was built.