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Gotta love those guys across the pond!
I feel for the ribbing these guys will take from the other crews! I really wouldn't want to be the guy rescuing a victim. .
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Jun 18 2003
By Mark Cowan, Evening Mail
A burning cargo of sex toys closed one of the country’s busiest sections of motorway and brought the Midlands to a standstill today.
Paraphernalia including whips, plastic breasts and dolls spilled from the wagon and onto the road as fire crews sought to make the lorry safe.
The articulated lorry burst into flames as it headed along the northbound M6 between Junction 7 between Great Barr and Junction 8, the M5 interchange at about 4am today.
Police closed the motorway as firefighters battled to bring the blazing lorry, which was carrying blow up dolls among its cargo of compressed paper, under control. A force spokesman said the motorway reopened 10.18am.
At one point tailbacks stretched back more than seven miles to Castle Bromwich as emergency services cleaned up the debris.
Shortly before 8am police managed to re-open the outside lane in a bid to move traffic but motorway police warned motorists they could face continued delays during the day.
The bizarre cargo brought much-needed light relief to those working at the scene as one of the blow-up dolls was rescued from the charred wreckage.
A police spokesman confirmed that sex toys were part of the cargo.
One firefighter said: “I’ve seen a few strange things in my time but is certainly one of the most bizarre I’ve come across.”
The blaze is thought to have started after brakes overheated and set the cargo alight.
Four fire engines were used to shuttle water to the scene because they were no supplies on the elevated section.
St Off Chris Townsend, from West Bromwich fire station, added: “It was really hard graft because we had to dig it all out to make sure there were no hidden pockets of fire.”
AA Roadwatch spokeswoman Kasia Kof said the incident had caused a knock-on effect on surrounding roads with delays of the M5 and other routes as motorists tried to avoid the problem and find alternative routes to work.
Sgt John Morgan, from the Central Motorway Police Group, said: “If motorists in the area can find alternative routes they should.”
The incident was one part of a triple whammy of hold-ups on the regions roads during the morning rush-hour.
There were separate hold-ups on the M42, westbound between junctions 3 and 3a after a second lorry fire resulted in the closure of one lane while the debris was moved.
Meanwhile, motorists in Solihull were hit by delays after a water main burst, flooding the southbound stretch of the A34 Stratford Road, at Shirley.
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Jun 18 2003
By Mark Cowan, Evening Mail
A burning cargo of sex toys closed one of the country’s busiest sections of motorway and brought the Midlands to a standstill today.
Paraphernalia including whips, plastic breasts and dolls spilled from the wagon and onto the road as fire crews sought to make the lorry safe.
The articulated lorry burst into flames as it headed along the northbound M6 between Junction 7 between Great Barr and Junction 8, the M5 interchange at about 4am today.
Police closed the motorway as firefighters battled to bring the blazing lorry, which was carrying blow up dolls among its cargo of compressed paper, under control. A force spokesman said the motorway reopened 10.18am.
At one point tailbacks stretched back more than seven miles to Castle Bromwich as emergency services cleaned up the debris.
Shortly before 8am police managed to re-open the outside lane in a bid to move traffic but motorway police warned motorists they could face continued delays during the day.
The bizarre cargo brought much-needed light relief to those working at the scene as one of the blow-up dolls was rescued from the charred wreckage.
A police spokesman confirmed that sex toys were part of the cargo.
One firefighter said: “I’ve seen a few strange things in my time but is certainly one of the most bizarre I’ve come across.”
The blaze is thought to have started after brakes overheated and set the cargo alight.
Four fire engines were used to shuttle water to the scene because they were no supplies on the elevated section.
St Off Chris Townsend, from West Bromwich fire station, added: “It was really hard graft because we had to dig it all out to make sure there were no hidden pockets of fire.”
AA Roadwatch spokeswoman Kasia Kof said the incident had caused a knock-on effect on surrounding roads with delays of the M5 and other routes as motorists tried to avoid the problem and find alternative routes to work.
Sgt John Morgan, from the Central Motorway Police Group, said: “If motorists in the area can find alternative routes they should.”
The incident was one part of a triple whammy of hold-ups on the regions roads during the morning rush-hour.
There were separate hold-ups on the M42, westbound between junctions 3 and 3a after a second lorry fire resulted in the closure of one lane while the debris was moved.
Meanwhile, motorists in Solihull were hit by delays after a water main burst, flooding the southbound stretch of the A34 Stratford Road, at Shirley.
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