Major UK Motorway Shut After Serious Crash and Vehicle Fire, Leaving Drivers Facing Rush-Hour Delays

A serious road collision followed by a vehicle fire has brought traffic to a standstill on a major section of the M6 motorway in northwestern England, leaving motorists facing disruption during the busy morning commute. The incident prompted an emergency response and forced authorities to close the road while investigators worked to establish what happened.

The northbound carriageway of the M6 was closed on Sunday evening, October 18, between Junction 23 at Haydock and Junction 24 at Ashton-in-Makerfield, in the Greater Manchester and Merseyside area. The closure remained in place on Monday morning, October 19, with drivers warned to expect delays as the police investigation continued.

Emergency services, including the North West Motorway Police Group and Mersey Fire, attended the scene following the collision, which resulted in a vehicle catching fire. National Highways traffic officers also arrived to help manage traffic and assist with the road closure.

The incident created significant concerns for commuters travelling through the area during rush hour. With the motorway still shut and no confirmed reopening time available, motorists were advised to plan their journeys carefully and consider alternative routes to avoid becoming caught in congestion.

Police are carrying out a collision investigation, which was expected to continue for several more hours. Once investigators have completed their work, recovery teams will remove the vehicles involved. Officials will then examine the motorway surface to determine whether the incident caused any damage that needs to be repaired before traffic can safely resume.

National Highways confirmed that there was no estimated time for the road to reopen at the time of its update. Drivers were therefore urged to check traffic information before setting out and allow extra time for their journeys while the closure remained in effect.

The cause of the collision and further details about those involved had not been confirmed in the report. Authorities’ immediate priorities were to complete the investigation, clear the scene and ensure the motorway was safe to reopen.

Source: The Sun