Firefighters helped rescue a lorry driver after his HGV overturned on the A1(M) in County Durham in the early hours of Wednesday, causing the road to close for clear-up operations.
The Warburtons lorry shed its load across both carriageways of the motorway just before 5.15am, shortly after the Bowburn junction. The northbound carriageway remains closed between Bowburn and Carville Interchange, while the southbound carriageway is restricted to the hard shoulder only.
Emergency response and driver rescue
Police, paramedics and fire crews were dispatched to the scene, where firefighters helped free the driver from the lorry. He was then transferred to University Hospital of North Durham by North East Ambulance Service.
A spokesperson for County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service said: "At 5.12am today (Wednesday), we received a report of an overturned lorry on the A1, between junctions 60 and 61. Two crews, from Spennymoor and Durham, attended the scene to assist with the safe extraction of the driver. Crews left the area by 5.47am."
The North East Ambulance Service also confirmed its response. A spokesperson said: "We were called to a road traffic incident on the A1 at Bowburn at 5.14am on 28 October. We dispatched a double crewed ambulance, a clinical team leader and two vehicles from our Hazardous Area Response Team. One patient was taken to University Hospital of North Durham."
Traffic delays and advice
Drivers experienced long delays on the A1 following the incident, as well as on the A688 heading northbound towards the A1. Traffic maps showed delays in both directions between Carville and West Cornforth.
Durham Constabulary advised motorists to avoid the area. A spokesperson said: "Police were called just after 5.10am today following reports that a lorry had overturned on the A1(M) just after the Bowburn junction. The lorry has shed its load across both carriageways, resulting in a full closure of the northbound carriageway between Bowburn and Carville Interchange. The southbound carriageway is restricted to the hard shoulder only.
"Motorists are advised to avoid the area and find an alternative route. The driver of the lorry has been taken to hospital for treatment."
