M6 closed during rush hour after lorry fire blocks motorway

Drivers face severe delays on the M6 in Merseyside after a huge lorry fire this morning.

The motorway remains closed northbound near Warrington and Newton-le-Willows after a lorry caught on fire.

Traffic came to a standstill after the blaze between junction J22 (Warrington) and J23 (Southport/Greater Manchester) in the early hours of the morning.

Footage shows the lorry going up in flames on the side of the road. It appears to be fully burned through.

The lorry driver managed to escape unhurt as no injuries were reported, the police told Metro.

Motorists should expect severe delays in the area, while a detour has been put in place on nearby roads.

The link roads from the M62 onto the M6 north are also closed to ‘prevent congestion,’ National Highways warned.

National Highways said: ‘The closure is expected to remain in place for several hours due to the significance of the blaze and the high likelihood of carriageway repairs once the fire has been extinguished.’

Traffic alerts show delays stretching back past Woolston on the M6 and onto the M62.

There are also delays on the diversion routes A580 and A579 nearby.

The incident was first reported at about 2.30am today after the lorry bust into flames.

Firefighters from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, and police and traffic officers rushed to the scene due to ‘a substantial lorry fire.’

At first, the southbound carriageway was also closed due to heavy, drifting smoke.

The M6 southbound has since reopened.

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