Volvo rejects causing Mont Blanc fire

The tunnel underwent safety improvements

Swedish car maker Volvo says it will fully co-operate with a French investigation into the 1999 fire at Mont Blanc tunnel linking France and Italy.

The company's statement came one day after a French examining magistrate placed Volvo under investigation over the incident in which 39 people died.

Volvo knew about the defects

Alain Jakubowitz, French magistrate

The magistrate said there had been defects in the Volvo trucks believed to have caused the massive blaze, and that Volvo knew about them.

But the company said it had found no defect in the type of truck involved.

Following the fire, the Alpine link remained closed until March this year.

Volvo probed

The fire is believed to have started in a Volvo truck carrying flour and margarine, trapping cars, trucks and their passengers in the tunnel.

On Thursday, French magistrate Alain Jakubowitz said his investigations had uncovered two defects in the type of Volvo FH12 truck involved - in the air intake mechanism and the overhead valve cover.

Click here to see a map of trans-Alpine tunnels

"Volvo knew about the defects," Mr Jakubowitz said.

"This is one further lead in the investigation, and it won't be the last," he added.

But on Friday, Volvo responded by rejecting Mr Jakubowitz's assertion.

The tunnel turned into a fiery inferno in March 1999

Spokesman Tommy Kohle said Volvo had not seen "any evidence to verify that hypothesis".

"We will co-operate with the magistrate who is investigating this case in every way we can," Mr Kohle said.

"By now becoming part of the investigation, we will also have access to other technical analyses that have been compiled, which gives us a better opportunity of assisting and understanding what has happened."

He added that there were "great flaws" in the safety arrangements in the tunnel.

The 12 kilometre (7.4 mile) Alpine passage has since undergone extensive repair work and safety improvements and was opened to cars and light trucks earlier this year.

Heavy trucks will be forced to observe strict speed limits, and vehicles carrying dangerous pollutants and chemicals will be banned

Both the French and Italian authorities claim the new safety measures will protect motorists from any further dangers.

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