Vehicle fire inside Wallace Tunnel shuts down I-10 for hours

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - A multi-vehicle crash led to a fire inside the westbound Wallace Tunnel around 5:30 p.m. Monday.

The fire burned for more than 20 minutes before crews could get to the crash site to extinguish the blaze. Thick, black smoke poured out of the tunnel.

Mobile Fire said there were only minor injuries.

The westbound lanes of the interstate were closed for four hours. Crews reopened the eastbound lanes about an hour after the crash.

One driver was in the tunnel when everything happened.

“I was headed back from Baldwin County,” said Andrew Allen. “I live in Mobile, and got up to the tunnel and almost got through before I saw a car on fire. We slowly backed up, and before I knew it, the black smoke you couldn’t even see inside. They got us over to the side and police, ALDOT, fire put the car out.”

The cause of the wreck has not been released. ALDOT inspected the tunnel and said it’s good to go.

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