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Firefighters spend two hours at M4 motorway fire

Firefighters spent two hours dealing with a lorry fire on the M4 motorway near Three Mile Cross.

Crews from Bracknell, Wokingham Road, Mortimer and the Heavy Rescue Unit (HRU) from Whitley Wood Fire Station were all involved in the efforts to put the fire out and clean up a fuel spillage.

At 11.44am on Tuesday, 8 August, Thames Valley Fire Control Service received reports a lorry was on fire between junction 10 and junction 11 on the westbound carriageway.

Crew Manager Jason Cross, who was Incident Commander, said: “It was an 18-tonne lorry with a curtain back that was on fire and it was well alight by the time we arrived.

“There was also a diesel or oil spillage spread across all three lanes of the motorway.

“Fortunately, the lorry was empty of cargo and the driver was safely out so firefighters in breathing apparatus used three hose reels to put the fire out.

“Following that, we liaised with the Highways Agency to get their specialist gritting team to work with our HRU to deal with the fuel spillage, and we closed all three lanes to do that.”

Firefighters were on the scene for about two hours in total while they worked to put the fire out and ensure the cleanup operation left the road safe for motorists.

The driver and the lorry were left supported by the Highways Agency when firefighters left the scene.