The M54 in Shropshire remains partially closed after a lorry transporting approximately 70 tonnes of hay caught fire. The blaze, which began on Tuesday evening, led to the closure of the motorway's westbound carriageway between junctions three for Albrighton and four for Telford.
Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service deployed six fire engines to the incident shortly before 18:30 BST, and the fire was extinguished. National Highways stated that one lane of the westbound carriageway had reopened by Wednesday morning, though a partial closure remains in place.
Tony Phipps from National Highways said the remaining lane closure is for repairs to the carriageway and barrier, noting that the barrier had melted due to the intensity of the blaze. Fire crews worked from Tuesday evening into Wednesday to remove the lorry's load and check for hot spots. Resurfacing of the road is scheduled for overnight on Wednesday, aiming to be completed by Thursday morning's rush hour.
The cause of the fire is not yet known, according to Mr Phipps, who also mentioned an increase in vehicle fires due to hot weather, which can lead to verge fires.