Lorry fire on M6 near Birmingham closes carriageway
- Published
The lorry fire closed a stretch of the M6 in the West Midlands
A stretch of the M6 southbound was shut overnight after a severe lorry fire involving office equipment and "hazardous" chemicals.
The fire broke out at 23:15 BST and closed the carriageway between junction 6 and junction 5 near Birmingham.
Specialist teams were sent to the scene to deal with the trailer that had also been carrying bleach and other kitchen chemicals.
Three lanes have reopened but one will remain closed for the rest of the day.
Highways England said work would be carried out in the evening to resurface the lane that suffered the damage.
Two lanes reopened earlier but traffic monitoring service Inrix reported five miles of queuing traffic at one stage. Drivers were advised to consider other routes.
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At its height, more than 30 firefighters were sent to tackle the blaze, and teams remain at the site damping down, said West Midlands Fire Service.
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