A dramatic lorry fire carrying a full load of hay bales caused chaos on the M4 motorway, forcing a complete closure and creating a massive blaze that firefighters battled for hours.
Calm Amidst the Chaos
Video footage from the scene near Slough captured the surreal moment the lorry driver, believed to be the one involved, was pictured walking calmly away from the inferno. The man was seen texting on his phone as fierce flames completely enveloped his truck behind him. Emergency services, including fire crews using breathing apparatus and hose reels, rushed to the scene between Junction 6 for Slough and Junctions 8/9 for Maidenhead.
Firefighting Efforts and Official Statement
Firefighters focused their efforts on thoroughly damping down the hay load, a crucial step to prevent the fire from re-igniting. National Highways confirmed the closure of the M4 in Berkshire westbound between J6 and J8/9 due to the HGV fire. They reiterated the unique challenge of the incident, stating, “The HGV was carrying hay so fire crews will need to dampen down the load to ensure it does not re-ignite.” Thick smoke billowed across the motorway, bringing all westbound traffic to a standstill.
Widespread Travel Disruption Across the UK
This incident added to a day of significant travel disruption across the country, largely caused by severe wintry weather. In North Yorkshire, drivers were forced to abandon their cars and continue on foot after heavy snowfall. The Met Office issued an amber warning for snow for parts of north-east England, where blizzard conditions were possible and up to 25cm of snow could settle on high ground like the North York Moors.
Furthermore, the forecaster warned of continued sleet and snow showers, with a risk of ‘Thundersnow’ seen in Aberdeenshire and potentially recurring off the coast of eastern Scotland and north-east England. Eight separate yellow weather warnings for snow and ice were also in place across other parts of the UK, including Northern Scotland, South West Wales, and Cornwall, leading to widespread warnings for necessary travel only.
