Commuters in Suffolk are facing severe disruption during the Wednesday morning rush hour after a lorry fire forced the closure of a key section of the A14.
Road Closure and Emergency Response
The eastbound carriageway is shut between junction 43 for Bury St Edmunds and junction 45 for Blackthorpe. The incident began at approximately 7.00pm on Tuesday evening when a heavy goods vehicle caught fire.
Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service was initially dispatched to tackle the blaze. The intensity of the fire caused significant damage to the road surface, necessitating immediate repairs.
Major Delays and Diversion Route
National Highways has confirmed that emergency resurfacing works are now in progress. Due to this, the road is expected to remain closed until at least 6.00am this morning.
Motorists are being diverted onto rural roads around Bury St Edmunds, heading up towards Diss on the Norfolk-Suffolk border, before rejoining the A14 near Needham Market. National Highways has issued a warning that this diversion will add significant time to journeys, urging drivers to plan ahead and allow extra travel time.
Ongoing Situation and Advice
The closure is causing widespread chaos for the Wednesday morning commute, with traffic being forced onto smaller roads ill-equipped for such volume. Drivers are advised to avoid the area if possible and to check for further updates from travel news sources as the situation develops.
