Long delays expected and 3 lanes closed on M6 after trailer fire

Commuters should expect delays travelling Northbound on the M6 this morning after a trailer fire led to the closure of the motorway last night.
Long delays are expected this morningLong delays are expected this morning
Long delays are expected this morning

Two lanes have now been reopened leaving three lanes out of five currently closed between junction 31a (Longridge) and 32 (Broughton Interchange) to allow the road to be resurfaced.

Police have now confirmed that The Highways Agency are hoping to fully reopen the road by mid-afternoon after motorway police closed the M6 northbound and southbound at junction 32 from around 9.30pm near Preston last night.

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However, there are still delays on the M6 and M61 motorways and the surrounding local road network.

Police and emergency services have contingency plans in place to respond to normal demand.

Five fire crews attended the scene yesterday evening and were met with an intense fire made up of exploding aerosols and tins.

Watch Manager Mark Woodward said: "We could hear and see the intensity of the fire as we approached along the M6. Tins and aerosols were flying all over the highway. Thankfully the swift closure of the motorway by the police meant that no drivers were injured.

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"This was an extremely hazardous fire and thankfully our training provided us with the skills and experience to handle it. The driver of the HGV did well to remove the cabin from the trailer to prevent the fire from spreading.

Long delays are expected this morningLong delays are expected this morning
Long delays are expected this morning

"It was a well coordinated response between the police, fire crews and the recovery services which ensured that no members of the public were injured."

Chief Inspector Damian Kitchen, of Lancashire Police, said: “We appreciate the frustration this sort of incident can cause motorists and we appreciate the understanding and co-operation of those who are caught up in it. Our partner agencies are working hard with our assistance to get the motorway open again as soon as possible.

“I would urge drivers at this time to avoid the area if they haven’t already set off but if you are stuck in these delays and need emergency assistance then please call 999 as we have contingency plans in place to be able to get to you.

“I would also ask for people not to call us to alert us to the delays as we are already aware and our call handlers are busy dealing with other calls.”

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