A49 queues hit one mile as traffic delayed by car fire

Queues of traffic backed up for more than a mile in both directions after a car fire on the A49 in south Shropshire.

The blaze involving a black Ford Focus broke out near Stokesay Castle and caused traffic to grind to a halt at about 12.30pm yesterday, causing disruption for motorists for almost two hours.

Firefighters from Craven Arms had brought the fire under control by 1pm but the northbound lane remained blocked while the car was recovered.

Toby Shergold, spokesman for West Mercia Police, said there were no reports of any injuries and it was not thought the car was involved in a collision. Both lanes of the A49 were fully reopened just before 2.30pm.

He said: "We were called to the scene after reports of a car on fire. The affected carriageway was freed up at around 1pm with police directing traffic.

"By this time there was quite a cue of vehicles which had built up and which took some time to clear.

"No injuries were reported and the car was not involved in a collision.

"The road was completely reopened by 2.26pm."

A spokesman for Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said a crew from Craven Arms had attended the scene and used two hose reel jets and two sets of breathing apparatus while dealing with the fire.