A driver escaped unhurt after a lorry burst into flames on the M62 this morning.
Emergency crews raced to the scene at around 5am after the HGV set on fire on the westbound carriageway of the motorway. The lorry was on the hard shoulder between junction 23 for Huddersfield and junction 22 for Saddleworth when the blaze broke out, Highways England said.
Pictures showed the lorry left completely burnt out after the fire. The driver miraculously escaped uninjured and had been able to escape from the vehicle, a spokesperson for the West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service said.
READ MORE: Manhunt ongoing as quiet street in shock after barbaric Liam Smith murder
A spokesperson for the Yorkshire Ambulance Service also confirmed that paramedics were not called to the scene. After the fire broke out, a stretch of the motorway was fully closed off by traffic officers.
The westbound carriageway was shut between junction 24 and junction 22, with a diversion route put in place. At around 6.45am, one lane was reopened for traffic to pass the scene.
Highways England reported delays of around an hour in the area. 'Complex recovery' then took place with one lane closed off.
The motorway was fully reopened by around 11.30am. Earlier, the West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service said: "Crews are dealing with a HGV on fire on the M62 between Junction 23 and 22 Westbound. The carriageway is currently closed Westbound."
Highways England said : "Lane 1 (of 3) is closed between junction 23 (Huddersfield) and junction 22 (Saddleworth) due to a lorry which caught fire on the hard shoulder of the westbound carriageway. West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service have attended the scene and have extinguished the vehicle under a full closure of the carriageway. The westbound carriageway reopened at 06:35 this morning with lane closures in place. Lane 1 remains closed for a complex recovery operation and for carriageway damage assessments.
"There are currently long delays of at least 60 minutes above usual journey times between J24 and J22 covering several miles of the westbound carriageway.
"If this incident impacts on your planned route, please allow extra journey time. Plan ahead, you may wish to re-route or even delay your journey."
Read more of today's top stories here
READ NEXT:
- Cocky drug dealer flashes wads of cash and boasts 'they'll call me money f***ing Rash'
- Dad-of-eight who 'never drank or smoked' hit with devastating diagnosis after routine test
- Husband and wife drug dealers jailed for cocaine and heroin dealing racket on the 'Sniper' drugs line
- Inside dirty Greater Manchester butchers with no hot water and stained toilet
- "Nothing to do with Xmas" scathing reviews of Manchester Christmas Markets as visitors complain of too many food and drink stalls
