A driver died early this morning near the village of Lyutidol, on the road between Mezdra and Botevgrad, when a passing minibus hit him as he checked his car.

The man was heading to Sofia when he saw smoke in front of his car. Thinking it had broken down, he pulled over and got out to find the cause. The minibus hit him and he died at the scene. His identity and age have not been confirmed.

Police, an ambulance and a fire crew came to the scene, and traffic police directed vehicles. Drivers reported tailbacks before the tunnels near Lyutidol.

The Road Infrastructure Agency said traffic is temporarily restricted at the 170km mark of the I-1 (E79), between Rebarkovo and Lyutidol. Cars heading to Botevgrad are using the III-161 through Rebarkovo and Rashkovo. Lorries heading to Sofia are sent along the II-16 through Rebarkovo and Svoge. Towards Mezdra, cars and heavy vehicles from Botevgrad stay on the I-1.

It is still unclear exactly how the crash happened and how the minibus driver acted.

Only days ago, a van and a car collided on the same stretch of the I-1, slowing traffic. Earlier in October, a burning car also blocked the road near Lyutidol.