Kabul: At least 19 people died and 30 others were hurt as a fire broke out at a tunnel in Afghanistan's Salang Pass, media reports said on Monday.

“32 people were wounded and 19 others killed. A tanker that is stranded in the tunnel caused a second blast. The path is now completely closed. The rescue teams are in the area and are trying to evacuate the wounded and martyrs,” Hekmatullah Shamim, a spokesman for the Parwan governor, told Khaama Press.

According to local media reports, the fire inside the tunnel has been brought under control.

Hamidullah Misbah, a spokesman for the Ministry of Public Works, told Khaama Press  the incident happened at around 6:30pm when a fuel truck overturned and caught fire.

“People pushed away the car that was stuck there and then a blast happened. The fuel tanker exploded,” a wounded told the news agency.