Shropshire Star

Watch: Long delays after lorry blaze hits M6

Motorists have been hit by long delays on the M6 after a lorry burst into flames near Great Barr.

Published

Tailbacks led to more than two hours of delays after the M6 was closed in both directions in the middle of the morning rush hour.

The motorway was shut at Junction 7 after a Knights of Old lorry caught fire on the northbound carriageway at around 8am.

Billows of black smoke were pouring across the road as flames leaped from the truck's cab and spread towards the trailer.

Video footage showed the burning lorry straddling the two inside lanes as cars continued to pass by before emergency services arrived.

West Midlands Fire Service soon joined motorway police on the scene and had put out the fire by 8.35am, by which point only the shell of the trailer remained.

Once the blaze was extinguished the southbound route was reopened, but vehicles heading north were at a standstill for more than two hours while firefighters worked to damp down the scene and the vehicle was recovered.

Only the burned out frame of the lorry was left in the aftermath.

The third lane northbound past the scene of the fire at J7 was opened by 11.20am but two lanes remain closed for recovery and carriageway assessment.

Highways England say the lanes should be back open by 4.15pm.

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