A lorry fire on the M6 in Cheshire led to the closure of the northbound carriageway during rush hour, causing seven-mile queues. The blaze sent plumes of smoke across the motorway, prompting the shutdown of three lanes from junction 20, Lymm Interchange, to junction 21, for Warrington and Irlam.
The fire broke out on the slip road at junction 20 shortly before 07:05 GMT. Firefighters tackled the blaze, and police reopened three lanes by about 11:00, but drivers were still advised to avoid the area due to the backlog.
Highways England said emergency resurfacing would be carried out and the lorry removed, with work expected to last several hours. Lane one of the main northbound carriageway remains closed, along with the entry slip road at junction 20. A section of safety barrier and a lamp post were damaged in the fire and need to be made safe.
At about 11:10, North West Motorway Police tweeted that management of the scene had been handed over to Highways England. The M56 exit slip road to the M6 northbound was also closed, causing queuing traffic. As of 12:00, there were still long delays and slow traffic on the M6 northbound between junctions 20 and 21.
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service earlier described the fire as causing lots of smoke across the motorway.
