A55 Conwy tunnel fire: Tunnel remains shut for safety checks after major lorry blaze, when it'll reopen
The Conwy Tunnel on the A55 remains closed in both directions following a vehicle fire, according to the latest update from Traffic Wales.
In a tweet posted at 6.09pm on Thursday, Traffic Wales North & Mid stated: "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."
It added: "Detailed inspections will need to be carried out to determine the extent of any damage before the tunnel can be safely reopened."
The fire, which broke out on Thursday afternoon inside the tunnel, was declared a major incident by emergency services. North Wales Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that crews responded swiftly after a vehicle caught fire, and that the blaze has since been brought under control.
There were no fatalities, but smoke spread through the area, prompting authorities to advise nearby residents to keep windows and doors shut. The tunnel, which carries an average of 40,000 vehicles a day, is a key route through North Wales. The closures are currently affecting the A55 Eastbound from J15 Llanfairfechan to J19 Glan Conwy (Black Cat) and the A55 Westbound from J19 Glan Conwy to J17 Conwy Morfa.
Severe congestion has been reported on diversion routes via the A5 and A470, and roads in and around Colwyn Bay, Conwy, Llanrwst, and Betws-y-Coed remain extremely busy.
Arriva Buses Wales announced that five of its services will terminate at Dwygyfylchi until further notice, with no access to Deganwy, Conwy or Llandudno.
Eyewitness Eira D’Arcy, 73, who was travelling through the tunnel at the time, described seeing flames beneath a stationary lorry told the BBC: "We had entered the tunnel in the nearside lane when the traffic abruptly stopped in our lane," she said. "I noticed about four cars ahead that a lorry was stationary and had small flames underneath it."
She added: "We could see heavy white smoke and needed to drive through it and we were concerned in case something exploded… it was a relief to be safely out of the tunnel."
The driver of the lorry appeared to have evacuated the vehicle and was seen calling emergency services, she said. No other vehicles appeared to be involved.
Images shared on social media showed thick smoke billowing from the tunnel and a crane lorry stationary in one lane with flames underneath.