"People were running up and down with flares."
On the evening of June 1, 2024, Birmingham’s city centre tunnel came to a resounding halt due to what was believed to have been a wedding party.
Astonishing footage showed people getting out of cars, revving engines and even lighting a flare.
Panicked motorists watched as the group paced up and down the Smallbrook Queensway Tunnel outside the Mailbox, filming their antics.
Birmingham-based TikToker Bobby O Singh was in an Uber with others when he was caught up in the mayhem at around 5:15 pm.
Filming the stationary traffic, Bobby stated how scared he was and said:
“Before we got to the tunnels, people were coming in with sports cars.
“There was a McLaren, a Mercedes G-Wagon and a Range Rover. When we got in the tunnel, the whole tunnel stopped.
“People were beeping and running up and down the side of the cars. They were using their exhausts to make a popping noise – people were proper panicking.
“People were running up and down with flares. The exhausts were going so you could smell the carbon dioxide – the air smelt bad.”
At one point, a man with a child could be seen holding a flare with a large plume of yellow smoke.
Bobby added: “I posted the footage on Saturday and people were saying it was a wedding.
“We did move after 10 minutes or so but on the way, we told the Uber driver not to go through the second tunnel.
“It was mad. It panicked people.”
After posting the footage, concerned fans took to the comments section.
One said: “Oh Bobby hope you’re okay… What was it that happened in the end??”
Another wrote: “Bobby, I would have had a heart attack being trapped. Hope you got home ok.”
@bobbyosingh? original sound – Bobby’O
In a subsequent video, Bobby addressed the incident and insisted that he was fine.
He said: “Don’t worry guys I’m safe. I was just really panicking at the time because my anxiety was going through the roof because the tunnel was filling up with smoke.
“And you know when you’re thinking the carbon monoxide was going to get to me, I thought I’m a goner.”
The TikToker went on to say that it was a wedding celebration but admitted:
“It was very scary if you didn’t know what was going on.”
West Midlands Police said: “Shortly before 5:15 pm, last Saturday (June 1), we received a number of calls to say that motorists had got out of their vehicles and were letting off flares and fireworks in the tunnel on St Chads Queensway.
“Officers attended. The incident caused traffic congestion for a short period of time before motorists got back in their vehicles and drove away.”
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