BOSTON – Three cars caught on fire in the Ted Williams Tunnel in Boston after a crash Friday afternoon. It happened just after 4 p.m. on the HOV ramp from I-93 north to I-90 east.

One witness told WBZ-TV she heard several loud bangs, a pause and then several more. She also reported seeing people running out of the tunnel and another witness said debris had fallen on her car. MassDOT crews are evaluating any possible damage to the roadway.

Boston firefighters quickly extinguished two of the cars on fire. The third was hybrid, which took longer to put out, according to Boston Fire. 

There were six people in the cars. Three people were taken to the hospital by Boston EMS. State Police said several people have been treated for smoke inhalation. 

Michael Cram was inside the tunnel at the time. “All of a sudden, you just saw flames,” Cram said. 

“When we came across it, it was already fully on fire,” Cram said. “There was two cars ahead of us that still squeaked around the right lane to go past and at that point the fire started spreading so we stopped, all cars stopped…had no idea if there was people still trying to get out and then started walking towards it and then the explosion started, went back to the car, everyone started backing up.” 

Two ramps closed after fire

The HOV eastbound ramp is currently closed, as well as the Frontage Road ramp. 

Massport said access to Logan Airport from the Ted Williams Tunnel is limited due to the fire, and advised drivers to use Route 1A. 

This comes on the first day of Memorial Day Weekend, where there’s already heavy traffic on a busy travel day.