Hampshire The A34 northbound has partially reopened after a lorry fire caused severe delays and left motorists trapped in queues for several hours. The blaze broke out on Wednesday evening, August 12, on the northbound carriageway between M3 Junction 9 at Winchester and the A303 at Bullington. The fire forced the road to close completely while firefighters tackled the burning vehicle and emergency crews dealt with the aftermath. Police later confirmed that the fire had been extinguished and that no injuries were reported. The incident caused major disruption, with some drivers saying they were stuck for more than five hours before being turned around and directed back towards Winchester. One motorist, Robyn Hendry, said cars were eventually released shortly after midnight after waiting for around five hours and 45 minutes. He said:
“The cars are finally being turned around and heading south back to the Winchester off-ramp. Five hours and 45 minutes. “Apparently, other road closures were needed to facilitate this. Only request is better communication next time.” Other motorists described hearing a loud bang as the fire developed, with repeated flare-ups as crews attempted to extinguish the load. Ella Laidlaw and Lara Rudland said: “There have been seven fire engines come past. There’s a queue of cars that goes back to Winchester.
“We have been stuck here for three hours; it is going to be two to three hours to get out of here. They are turning cars around. “At the start, there was a big bang. Every time they put on water, because of the hay, it kept going up again. It was like little explosions.” Fire crews remained at the scene into the early hours and left at around 2.30am on Thursday. The road remained closed afterwards while National Highways carried out clean-up and repair work. Hampshire County Council later confirmed that the A34 northbound had partially reopened, although one lane remained closed. Further resurfacing work was expected to take place later in the day.
Hampshire Police said:
“The fire is out and no injuries were reported.
“The road remains closed while National Highways deal with the incident. “Please avoid the route if possible and make sure you plan your journey before setting off. Thanks for your patience.” Motorists are being advised to continue allowing extra time for journeys while repairs are completed.
Originally published by UKNIP.
