A gritter lorry has burst into flames on the A361, forcing the road to be closed near Millfield Prep School in Somerset. The incident occurred during a rare red heat alert issued for the area, with temperatures expected to reach as high as 37C, according to the Met Office.
The gritter involved in the fire was on a routine maintenance run, according to Somerset Council. However, the council has warned that its fleet will have a 'busy few days' ahead due to the heat, with vehicles being used to dust roads at risk of melting.
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service (DSFRS) sent two fire engines and a water carrier to the scene, which was called in at 08:17 BST. The lorry driver had managed to safely exit the vehicle before the fire began.
Crews are using breathing apparatus and water jets to protect the nearby building from the fire. Millfield Prep School has confirmed it remains open and has not been affected by the incident.
This latest incident comes just a day after a bin lorry in Minehead caught fire when waste it was carrying began burning. The cause of that fire was attributed to a battery catching fire.