Fire in Daegwallyeong Tunnel on Yeongdong Expressway Halts Traffic

A serious accident involving a four-vehicle collision ignited a fire inside the Daegwallyeong 4th Tunnel on the Yeongdong Expressway, forcing a complete closure of the route towards Gangneung. The incident occurred around 11:58 AM on July 17th, when a chain-reaction crash involving four cars led to a fire in one of the vehicles, quickly engulfing the tunnel in thick, black smoke.

All 15 individuals traveling in the four vehicles managed to evacuate the tunnel safely before the fire intensified. However, the dense smoke inside the tunnel has severely limited visibility and complicated the response of emergency services, with firefighters facing difficulties in accessing the blaze. The situation escalated rapidly, prompting the provincial fire department to issue a Level 2 response, mobilizing 54 firefighters and 18 pieces of equipment.

In response to the fire and ongoing rescue operations, the Korea Expressway Corporation has halted all traffic heading towards Gangneung. Drivers are being rerouted to use national roads via the Daegwallyeong Interchange. The closure is expected to cause significant inconvenience for holiday travelers during the Liberation Day long weekend.