There was chaos on the M1 today after three lorries collided, resulting in an inferno that damaged the carriageway, leaving the road shut for nearly 12 hours.
The crash happened at 1.10am and a 10-mile stretch of the northbound motorway was closed, causing congestion throughout the south of the county during the morning rush hour.
The crash happened between junction 20 for Lutterworth and junction 21 for Fosse Park and two of the lorry drivers involved suffered minor injuries and paramedic cars, ambulances and the air ambulance attended. One of the drivers was taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary for further treatment.
A spokeswoman for East Midlands Ambulance Service said: “We received a call at 1.10am this morning to junction 21 on the M1.
“The caller reported a road traffic collision. We sent two paramedics in two ambulance cars, a crewed ambulance and the air ambulance.
“We transported one patient to Leicester Royal Infirmary.”
The blaze that followed the crash completely destroyed one of the three lorries and severely damaged another.
Six fire crews from across Leicestershire , with support from the West Midlands service, fought to put the flames out, with the last fire crew leaving the scene shortly before 7am.
Recovery contractors then moved in and used two large cranes to lift the wrecked vehicles off the road but the road remained closed until shortly before 1pm while repair work was carried out.
Highways England said in a statement yesterday morning: “The M1 is closed northbound between junction 20 and junction 21 due to a collision and intense vehicle fire involving two HGVs.
“All emergency services, including Leicestershire Police , are in attendance and it is expected that the carriageway will remain closed for some time.
“Diverted traffic should exit the M1 at junction 20 and take the A403 westbound towards Magna Park. Then take the A5 northbound and join the M69 northbound at junction1. Exit the M69 at junction 3 and rejoin the M1 at junction 21.
“Please allow extra time for your journey should you be travelling in the area this morning.”
Traffic and travel - what you need to know
The diversions led to long queues of up to six miles long on the M69 approach to Leicester, while other vehicles opted to use the A426 to get from Lutterworth to Leicester.
There was major congestion at several points along the A426, including Rugby Road in Lutterworth, Lutterworth Road in Dunton Bassett, the Blaby bypass and Leicester Road in Glen Parva.
The A4303 which links junction 20 with Magna Park, was also heavily congested for large parts of the morning.
