A mobile crane caught fire in Sydney’s Lane Cove Tunnel and forced the closure of the 3.6km tollway for several hours during peak hour on Thursday.
The tunnel was initially closed in both directions as emergency services responded and traffic was diverted, but all lanes have since reopened.
Fire crews headed to the Lane Cove Tunnel near North Ryde just before 6.30am.
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The truck driver was located and evacuated, and other motorists also left their vehicles as a precaution, and no injuries were reported, Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) told 7NEWS.com.au.
The truck fire occurred in the eastbound tunnel, according to Transport NSW.
“Traffic is already heavy, especially towards the city, so motorists are advised to allow plenty of extra travel time,” it said earlier on Thursday morning as traffic was being diverted slowly through Epping Rd. “Motorists should also follow the directions of emergency services and motorway crews on site.“
The truck was towed, and all lanes had reopened by 9.27am, according to Live Traffic NSW.
Motorists have been urged to continue exercising caution in the area and allow extra travel time until traffic conditions in the area improve.
Fire and Rescue NSW crews responded to the blaze with five fire trucks and 17 firefighters, wearing breathing apparatus as they entered the tunnel.
They searched the tunnel to ensure there were no motorists or pedestrians remaining inside.
The fire was controlled using the tunnel’s deluge system which activated overhead sprinklers throughout the tunnel, and firefighters then went inside to extinguish the fire completely.