Japan govt. orders emergency inspections of road tunnels

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Japanese government has ordered emergency inspections of road tunnels across the country following a deadly roof collapse west of Tokyo, according to BBC News.

Nine people were confirmed dead after concrete panels collapsed and started a fire in the Sasago tunnel, 80km (50 miles) from the capital on Sunday, Dec 2. An inquiry into the Sasago collapse has also been launched.

Officials from the highway operator suggested that metal rods securing the concrete panels may have loosened.

Japanese media report that the ministry of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism has ordered highway operators overseeing tunnels similar to Sasago to carry out emergency inspections. Inspections of at least 20 tunnels of a similar age and design will now be carried out.

Motohiro Takamisawa, from Central Nippon Expressway (Nexco), which operates Sasago, said metal rod failure could have been to blame.

"At this moment we're presuming that the top anchor bolts have come loose," he said. Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura told a news conference on Monday: "The Prime Minister ordered the transport ministry to put the utmost efforts to rescue victims, to quickly investigate the cause of the accident and to establish measures to prevent similar accidents and to provide a counselling service to victims."

Rescue crews finally began bringing the bodies of the nine dead out of the tunnel on Monday morning.

Some were reported to have been so badly burned they would take days to identify. Three charred and smashed vehicles could also be seen being pulled from the tunnel's mouth.