A highway tunnel collapsed in central Japan Sunday, leaving two people injured and at least seven missing while a fire broke out inside, dpa reported.
Three vehicles were trapped inside the 4.7-kilometer Sasago tunnel on the Chuo Expressway, the Kyodo News agency reported.
Two cars were crushed in the tunnel in Otsuki, about 80 kilometres west of Tokyo, after the 20-centimetre-thick ceiling collapsed in one section, Kyodo said.
One injured woman told rescue workers she had escaped from a car in which six people were traveling, Kyodo reported.
Rescue workers temporarily halted rescue operations at around 12:50 pm (0350 GMT) after judging the situation was too dangerous to continue.