YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. Authorities have shut down the Dilijan tunnel due to safety concerns, the ministry of transportation, communication and IT told ARMENPRESS.

The tunnel will remain closed for renovation.

The fire and subsequent explosion of a cargo truck has caused extensive damage to the tunnel, the ministry said.

Fortunately no one was injured in the incident.

“Traffic police responded immediately and evacuated all vehicles from the tunnel and shut it down. Firefighters were able to reach the vehicle only from the Dilijan direction due to heavy smokes,” the ministry’s spokesperson Anahit Arakelyan said. Firefighters extinguished the blaze.

The fire even damaged the tunnel’s air conditioning system.

The cargo truck, operating under Belarusian license plates, was carrying TV sets and washing machines. Earlier it was erroneously reported that the truck had Georgian license plates.

Authorities advised drivers to travel via the Semyonovka road as an alternative until the tunnel is re-opened.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan