A49 back open as normal after major tanker blaze clear-up
The A49 is open as normal today after a dramatic tanker fire caused road closures and long delays yesterday.
New pictures have been released showing the extent of the operation undertaken by emergency services after the blaze.
The road was completely closed for three hours on Thursday after the tanker carrying kerosene and diesel caught fire at the turning for Cardington in Leebotwood.
Black smoke could be seen high into the Shropshire sky as the fire ripped through the cab of the Rix tanker in minutes, just 20 metres away from the A49.
Temporary traffic lights were in place throughout the day as the aftermath of the blaze was dealt with and the road was not fully reopened until around 11pm.
Shropshire Fire and Rescue sent nine appliances from across the county to put out the fire using water and foam.
They continued to monitor the burnt-out cabin throughout the day before the wreckage was cleared and the road was reopened.
Crews waded through thousands of litres of water used to put out the fire to help nearby residents check on their homes.
Photos taken at the scene showed the road covered in water and foam with numerous hoses leading from fire engines parked on the A49.
Fire crews also worked alongside the Environment Agency, laying down water barriers to prevent a nearby stream from becoming contaminated, while police officers and West Midlands Ambulance Service crews were also at the scene throughout the day.
Jay Rana, from the Environment Agency, said: “The fire service called us on Thursday morning to assist a lorry fire off the A49.
"Drains close to the incident were blocked off to prevent firewater entering the nearby Cound Brook in Leebotwood.
"A pollution prevention boom was also placed in the watercourse as a precautionary measure, to capture any potential pollution from the firewater run-off.
"The boom will remain in place over the weekend and we will continue to monitor the situation."
Residents were advised to keep their doors and windows shut as emergency services battled the fire, which started at around 7.45am.
The driver managed to escape before the fire spread from the engine bay to the cab and nobody was injured.
Ian Walshaw, Shropshire Council’s central highways manager, said: “The site was cleaned up last night following the fire, and the road was reopened.
"However, the area affected by the fire is still coned off and I will be inspecting it today to decide what work if any is necessary.
"Only a small area of highway was affected by the fire.”
