”It was an enormous amount of smoke and general chaos,” said head of emergency services Håkan Lundgren to the TT news agency.

The emergency services have found it hard to get close due to the heat and smoke coming from the location of the crash. The proximity to a major power line also made it harder for the fire brigade to get the fire under control.

”It was difficult for us to use water due to a power line that runs across the E6 just where the vehicles collided. We had to wait for the power to be shut down before we could start putting out the fire,” Lundgren said.

The fire brigade deems the fire to be under control and hopes to have it out by mid-morning, when the work to decontaminate the area will begin.

Traffic is currently held up on the E6 in both directions.

The police remain uncertain as to what the crashed tanker was transporting. Emergency services are therefore urging residents in the area to stay indoors and close windows. Those stuck in traffic have been advised to close off the external flow on their car fans.

Anna Svensson, a driver who was close by when the accident occurred, told local paper Göteborgsposten (GP) that smoke continues to emanate from the site of the crash.

”It is insane to stand here. Black smoke is billowing and there is still a massive fire. The whole road in both directions,” Svensson told GP.