Major Alpine road tunnel remains closed after coach fire

The San Bernardino tunnel in southeast Switzerland was closed on Friday afternoon after a German tourist bus caught fire in the tunnel, leaving two people with minor injuries.

Police in Graubunden canton said the major road tunnel in the Swiss Alps would remain closed until further notice for “clean-up and technical repairs”. It is not yet clear what caused the fire.

The closure comes at the start of the Pentecost holiday weekend and is already causing traffic problems. Traffic was congested on the local alternative route, the San Bernardo Pass on Friday, and the traffic information service Viasuisse reported long tailbacks to the Gotthard tunnel going south. It recommended Lötschberg and Simplon as alternative routes.

Graubunden police said the German coach carrying 22 passengers drove north in the San Bernardino tunnel earlyon Friday afternoon. It caught fire some 500 metres from the end of the tunnel near Hinterrhein, when the driver noticed smoke and stopped. A fire alarm alerted local fire and rescue services.

All the coach passengers were able to leave safely and there were no serious casualties, police said. Two people were treated for suspected smoke inhalation.