A three-car pileup and fire broke out in Boston’s Ted Williams Tunnel on Friday, snarling traffic as the Memorial Day weekend began.
According to the Boston Fire Department, the crash and subsequent fire happened just after 4 p.m. on the east side of the tunnel that leads directly to Logan International Airport.
Flames quickly engulfed the three vehicles and thick black smoke billowed into the tunnel, forcing some drivers to abandon their cars and run to safety.
Fire officials quickly put the blaze out, Deputy Fire Chief James Green said. Image display Two cars and the bonnet of a third car were burned.
According to the police, one of the cars was a hybrid and it took time to put out the fire.
Six people in three vehicles suffered minor injuries and were evacuated to a local hospital, authorities said.
The cause of the crash and fire, including which car caught fire, is still under investigation.
According to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, authorities closed the Ted Williams Tunnel for several hours after the accident. They urged the driver to find an alternative route.
The tunnel is part of Boston’s main highway.
Named after the famous Boston Red Sox outfielder, the Ted Williams Tunnel opened in 1995 as part of the massive “Big Dig” project, which revamped downtown Boston’s network of roads, bridges and tunnels.
With post wire
