Highways England has closed the M11 southbound from Junction 10 to Junction 8 following a large lorry fire. The blaze was caused by exploding aerosol cans inside the vehicle.
The northbound carriageway between Junctions 8 and 9, as well as the Junction 9 slip road from the A11, have also been shut to traffic. Drivers are being urged to avoid the area as the motorway closures are expected to last for several hours.
Essex Police responded quickly to the incident and used Twitter to advise motorists to find alternative routes immediately. A police spokesman thanked drivers for their patience and explained that officers are working to turn around vehicles stranded on the motorway.
Fortunately, there have been no serious injuries reported. Essex Police stated: “Officers are closing both carriageways between J8 and J9 and the on-slip for the A11. The fire is under control, but reopening won’t happen anytime soon.”
Long delays are expected throughout the night. The northbound lanes are unlikely to reopen before midnight, while the southbound stretch is expected to remain closed until at least 8am the following day. Highways England will conduct extensive recovery work overnight to clear the scene.
Motorists travelling near Stansted, Stansted Airport, or Stomps Cross should prepare for significant delays and seek alternative routes to avoid disruption.
Originally published by UKNIP.
