The A1M closed south overnight as firefighters faced a fierce truck fire on the roadway.
The closure was confirmed at 2.20am on Friday morning and a section of the motorway remained closed more than two hours later.
The truck caught fire on the A1M between intersections 59 and 58. The driver of the truck managed to escape unharmed from the fire. It is unknown at this time what caused the fire.
The fire was brought under control and at 3.30am the emergency services were waiting for the recovery of the burnt accident on the national roads, which reported at 4.35am that the road between J57 and J58 had been reopened.
The road between J59 and J58 has reopened before 2pm.
In an update at 4.30am, the Inrix traffic information service said: “The southbound A1 (M) was closed due to recovery work and a previous truck fire between the J59 A167 (Aycliffe) and the J58 A68 (Burtree) Traffic is being managed well, it has been reduced to the J58 after night work was completed on the entrance road. Village on the B6444 and A6072 to rejoin the A1 (M) on the J58. “
Durham RPU tweeted earlier: “We are currently facing a truck trailer fire alongside the A1M between 59 and 58 south with @CDDFRSSouthbound is closed, heading north is moving as well as we can with @HighwaysNEAST. driver shaken but unharmed! “
Please come back later for more updates.
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