The westbound carriageway of the M4 at Newport’s Brynglas Tunnels could be closed for days after a lorry fire, according to Welsh Transport Minister Carl Sargeant.
The road was closed in both directions between J24 A48 / A449 Coldra and J28 A48 / A4072 Tredegar Park after the fire at 8.30am on Tuesday.
The fire was finally extinguished at 1.40pm.
The Welsh Government has issued the following statement.
“The eastbound tunnel at Brynglas has now reopened. A contra flow system is in operation with traffic moving in both directions. All junctions have now also fully reopened.
“Our multiagency team are working around the clock to reopen the westbound tunnel. It is clear that there remains considerable work to clear debris and conclude the structural assessment to ensure the tunnel is safe for use.
“We will continue to provide regular updates and work as quickly as possible to resolve the situation. We would appreciate your continued patience and understanding at this time.”
Six crews from Maindee, Malpas, Cwmbran, Duffryn and Caerphilly Station attended the incident.
South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said the lorry was well alight when the first crews arrived on scene and firefighters worked quickly to bring the incident under control and contain the fire.
No other vehicles were involved and the driver in the lorry got out safely with no injuries.