Explosions wake residents in the middle of the night after lorry fire

Warwickshire residents were woken in the middle of the night by loud explosions following a huge lorry fire. As reported by CoventryLive,[1] emergency services were called to the scene on Europa Way, Warwick[2] just before 4am on Friday (14 March). Fire crews and police officers attended the incident which saw the road closed for over five hours, causing traffic issues in the mean time. But it wasn't only the morning commute that was disturbed, with residents taking to social media saying loud bangs woke them up in the middle of the night - some as much as three miles away from the scene.

One person posted to a local Facebook group: "Do anyone hear three very loud bangs this morning? Very strange." To which another responded: "Yes heard and seen it. A lorry caught fire and exploded a few times near the gallows hill round about.

Very bad but luckily the driver was very experienced and managed to detach his cabin and the fire brigade were there within minutes fighting the huge fire." Another user commented to say the lorry involved was an Iceland Food lorry - we've contacted Iceland for confirmation and a comment but have yet to hear back. A spokesman for Warwickshire[4] Fire and Rescue previously said: "We were alerted at 3:45am on Friday 14 March to reports of a lorry fire on the A452 Europa Way in Heathcote.

"We had three appliances in attendance who found a HGV trailer, containing food stuffs that was well alight "Crews were at the scene extinguishing the fire for an hour and ten minutes. Warwickshire Police[5] also attended to provide traffic management." According to traffic management service Inrix, the road remained closed for several hours, causing traffic problems in the area during rush hour.

The website reads: "A452 Europa Way Northbound closed, very slow traffic due to lorry fire from Peabody Way to Gallows Hill. Congestion to A425 Banbury Road as traffic diverts." A spokesman for Warwickshire Police said: "We were called at 3.50am following a report of banging on Europa Way near Warwick.

Shortly afterwards it was confirmed a lorry was on fire and the road was closed.

No-one was injured.

We attended to help manage traffic and left the scene shortly before 10am."

References

1. ^ As reported by CoventryLive, (www.coventrytelegraph.net)
2. ^ Warwick (www.coventrytelegraph.net)
3. ^ Police issue major update in wake of Arley abattoir 'animal abuse' video (www.coventrytelegraph.net)
4. ^ Warwickshire (www.coventrytelegraph.net)
5. ^ Warwickshire Police (www.coventrytelegraph.net)