A huge emergency services presence has been required on the M5 today after a burning car was captured leaving the carriageway. The M5 southbound became plagued with traffic due to the car fire on the Almondsbury Interchange that links the M4 and the M5 was reported.
Photos from the scene showed fire engines, police cars, ambulances and a highways team at the scene dealing with the incident. The car can also be seen having left the carriageway. Avon Fire and Rescue services confirmed a large response unit was sent to the scene due to the complex nature of that section of the motorway. The M5 southbound slipway to the M4 eastbound remains closed while crews extinguish the fire.
Traffic build-ups were reported on the M4 westbound just north of Bristol which appeared to be connected to the incident. A spokesperson for Avon Fire and Rescue Service said: "Just after 1pm we were called to a car fire on the Almondsbury Interchange. We had over 20 calls in Avon and some calls to Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue.
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"We sent a large response due to the complex nature of that section of motorway to ensure that we got an appliance to the correct route. We despatched five fire engines - one from Patchway, two from Temple, and two from Thornbury.
"The car was located on the M5 southbound slipway heading towards the M4 eastbound. Initially the M5 southbound was closed - that is now open, although the slipway from the M5 southbound to the M4 eastbound is still closed while crews are still extinguishing the fire.
"The car has left the carriageway - there are no casualties involved. Police, fire, Highways and ambulance crews are in attendance.
"Crews used high-pressure hose reel jets to extinguish the fire. They will be there for a short while making the scene safe before leaving it in the hands of Highways England who will manage the removal of the car and the reopening of that section of road."
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