A CAR was destroyed in a fire which caused long delays on the M5.
Firefighters rushed to the scene near junction 9 for Tewkesbury on the southbound carriageway of the motorway on Friday afternoon (October 2), where they found a car on fire on the hard shoulder.
There were long delays on the motorway, with National Highways reporting delays as long as 40 minutes between junctions 9 and 10 of the M5.
Two fire engines attended the scene as well as a water carrier.
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Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that the driver had not been injured but that there had been damage to the car and a section of hedgerow.
“We were called at 12.53pm to reports of a car fire on the M5 southbound between junctions 9 and 10,” a fire service spokesperson said.
“Two fire engines were sent to the scene, from Tewkesbury and Gloucester North, along with the water carrier from Cheltenham East.
“A car was on fire on the hard shoulder and crews used one hose reel and two sets of breathing apparatus to put it out.
“The vehicle was 100 per cent damaged by fire and an area of hedgerow 10m x 5m was also 100 per cent damaged by fire.
“The occupant of the car was not injured and the stop time was 1.31pm.”
Shortly after 2pm, National Highways reported that recovery was on the way to remove the vehicle, with all lanes of the motorway having reopened.
Some delays remained into the afternoon.
