Rotherham M1 smash causes long delays

MOTORWAY access to the Rotherham area ground to a halt yesterday after thousands of pounds worth of cars went up in flames on the M1.

All three lanes of the M1’s northbound carriageway were closed between junctions 30 and 31, Aston and Barlborough, after a car transporter caught fire and became engulfed by flames at around 12.45pm.

Slow-moving traffic blighted the road network as far south as junction 28 of the motorway, near Mansfield, with motorists forced to take cross-country detours to avoid the incident.

A spokesman for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said: “Firefighters spent much of Monday afternoon tackling a fire on the M1.

“The fire involved a car transporter and nine vehicles on the hard shoulder, between junctions 30 and 31 northbound.

Rotherham, Maltby and Mosborough fire crews tackled the incident, having been called to it at around 12.45pm.

“Hose reels and compressed air foam were used to tackle the blaze.”

Highways Agency officials re-opened the M1 shortly after 3pm.

The fire service spokesman said that the cause of the fire was not yet known.