MOSCOW, December 2 (RIA Novosti) – At least three people were dead after a highway tunnel collapsed in central Japan, causing a fire, local media reported on Sunday.
The 4 km (2.5 mile) Sasago tunnel on the Chuo Expressway, located some 50 miles (80 kilometers) west of Tokyo, collapsed at around 8 a.m. on Sunday affecting the Tokyo-bound lanes.
The rescuers have recovered three burned bodies from a car inside the smashed tunnel, which began spewing black smoke after large concrete ceiling panels fell onto the road. At least four other people were believed to be trapped in the tunnel.
The fire was extinguished about three hours after the accident occurred but the rescue effort was hampered due to the fears of a further collapse.
Previous reports said three women were able to get out of the tunnel in the first minutes after the collapse. All of them were taken to hospital.
