M1 gridlock after car transporter blaze

Firefighters were called to a northbound link road near junction 32 of the M1, where it meets the M18, at around 6.30pm.

They found that two cars were alight on the back of the lorry.

Cews from Aston, Central, Darnall, Maltby and Mansfield Road stations spent around two-and-a-half hours putting out the fire with foam.

No injuries or damage to other vehicles have been reported.

The fire is thought to have started accidentally.

Three of four roads linking the two motorways were closed last night on the advice of South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue.

Only the road linking the M18 southbound carriageway to the M1 northbound remained open throughout.

The Highways Agency tweeted that all of the link roads had been reopened by 11.15pm last night.

The incident echoed another recent car transporter fire, which closed three lanes of the M1 northbound on December 2 last year.

Did you witness the fire on the M1 to M18 slip road last night? Tweet us @TiserDave or e-mail photographs to [email protected].