Lorry blaze on M42 brings motorway traffic to standstill
The M42 near Birmingham was brought to a standstill on Friday morning after a lorry caught fire.
The blaze started on the southbound carriageway near Shirley before 5am and caused gridlock during the morning rush hour.
Congestion stretched back to Junction 5 and the A41 Solihu11
The vehicle was on the hard shoulder of the southbound carriageway, near junction 3a, when it caught fire in the early hours.
The Highways Agency said the fire had been put out, but the lorry could not be cleared until it had cooled down.
It said the closure was expected to continue through the rush-hour period, and, while diversions were in place, drivers were being advised to avoid the area.
Nobody was injured in the blaze.
A5 closes after lorry catches fire
The drama unfolded shortly before noon yesterday when a blaze engulfed a lorry on the Woodcote Island, near Shrewsbury.
The A5 was closed in both directions for several hours as 20 firefighters and a fire officer from Shrewsbury tackled the blaze.
Shropshire Fire and Rescue said it had taken three crews and other units about two and a half hours to deal with.
One eyewitness said: “The lorry cab was completely gutted and firefighters also had to douse a hedge with water to put out the flames.
There were also heavy delays southbound.
The road was fully reopened by 8pm after the burnt out lorry had been removed.