Drivers faced major disruptions on the M6 motorway today as all traffic was halted due to a lorry fire on the southbound stretch between junctions 19 and 18. The incident caused smoke to billow from the HGV, prompting a swift response from emergency services, who worked to extinguish the blaze. Following the firefighting efforts, motorists were still facing long delays as recovery operations were underway.

As a result of the fire, traffic congestion has reached eight miles, with reports indicating an additional hour added to the journey times for motorists approaching the affected area. Although one lane has reopened to ease some of the backlog, lane one remains closed, further complicating travel for hundreds of drivers trying to navigate the busy route. Observations from the scene revealed significant queues, highlighting the impact of such incidents on the M6, one of the UK's major motorways.

The National Highways agency provided updates via social media, informing drivers of lane statuses and estimating delays. The fire and subsequent recovery operations not only illustrate the challenges posed by vehicle incidents on motorways but also underline the importance of rapid emergency response to minimize disruption and maintain traffic flow on crucial transport links in the UK.