30 days of M5 mayhem with crashes, lorry fires and explosions closing the motorway

It is not clear what can be done to make the motorway safer for drivers

Shannon Brown Reporter 15:27, 17 Oct 2025

It has been a manic month for regular M5 drivers[1], who have encountered serious overnight collisions, multiple lorry fires, electric car explosions and lengthy motorway roadworks, adding to congestion and frustration throughout the South West.

For a large portion of the South West, the M5 is a necessary evil if drivers ever want to leave the region[2], but with countless thousands travelling on the motorway every day, crashes, closures and disruption are almost inevitable.

But an overnight double-crash, an electric car inferno and an electrical appliance lorry fire all occurring within just a few weeks is a bit much to handle for any motorist.

Of course, all of these major incidents, which closed the motorway for extended periods of time, occurred alongside the usual minor bangs and scrapes which take place on any main road, and in the middle of a series of overnight M5 closures[3] while National Highways undertakes extensive roadworks.

Crash within-a-crash on M5 near Tiverton

Two significant multivehicle collisions closed the motorway[4] for hours between Tiverton[5] and Cullompton[6] overnight between September 18-19.

Sadly, a man died at the scene of a crash[7], which took place in queues resulting from an earlier crash and closure.

Both directions had been shut while an air ambulance landed at the scene of a three-vehicle crash in the southbound carriageway near Willand. One man was seriously hurt and the air ambulance was called to the scene, which is why the northbound direction had also been closed.

This collision, involving a Vauxhall Zafira, a Ford[8] KA and a Porsche Boxter, took place at around 9.50pm on Thursday, September 18.

The Ford driver was taken to hospital with seriously injuries, Devon and Cornwall Police said at the time.

Then, at around 11.10pm a second crash occurred, involving four vehicles in the southbound carriageway near junction 28. Devon and Cornwall Police said at the time a man in his 30s from Plymouth[9] was pronounced dead.

The driver was later named as Mihai Florescu, 39, who his family described as a "truly wonderful gentleman".

Mihai's wife, Laura, has paid a heartfelt tribute to her husband, saying: "There are few words to express the deep pain and sorrow of losing Mihai Florescu, a loving husband, son, brother and friend who has been taken from us far too soon. The world has lost a truly wonderful gentleman and we have lost our world."

Four vehicles were involved: Volkswagen Transporter, a Land Rover Discovery, a Kia Ceed, and Mihai's Toyota Prius.

The driver of the transporter, a man aged in his 40s from the Cullompton area was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. He has been released under investigation.

While emergency services were at the scene and closures were in place for around 15 hours, some motorists were trapped within the closures, stuck between the two crashes for several hours. One motorist described their ordeal, explaining the two crashes occurred within around a mile stretch.

"About a mile from junction 28 for Cullompton[10] things started to slow down," he said.

A fellow articulated lorry driver then told him there had been a crash up ahead.

Accustomed to crashes, he was fairly relaxed about the initial standstill but 45 minutes, nothing had moved and more police started to show up.

"Police were on the side of the road telling people to stop," he said. Another lorry driver then told him that there had been another crash just behind them.

He explained: "It was around five cars back. Another RTC behind us, in the space of a mile.

"The air ambulance came out.

It was surreal."

He added that he was "literally trapped in the middle" of the two collisions. "It was carnage. From 11.30pm to just gone 6am, there were three lanes of trapped traffic."

National Highways removed the central reservation to free the trapped drivers But the lorry driver said he couldn't continue onto Plymouth as he had reached his maximum hours for the day. Traffic delays persisted throughout the day.[11]

Nine electric cars explode and are destroyed by fire

Less than two weeks later, the M5[12] was closed in both directions again when a vehicle transporting nine electric cars caught fire on the motorway in Devon[13]. The devastating fire caused hours of delays on the southbound carriageway between Cullompton and Exeter[14].

Closures were in place for around 12 hours while firefighters fought the blaze which involve nine electric vehicles on the back of a car transporter[15].

Witnesses described seeing "the whole car transporter is ablaze as just passed. Smoke seen for miles".

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue[16] Service said at the time: "We currently have five appliances and a water bowser in attendance on the M5 between junctions 28 and 29 where a car transporter carrying nine electric vehicles is on fire. Both northbound and southbound carriageways are currently closed."

One driver, stuck again within the closure, said he was forced to "cancel or postpone" jobs as a result of the delays. "We aren't going anywhere anytime soon," he said at the time.

Photos shared by Devon and Cornwall Police reveal the extent of destruction caused by the blaze, with all the cars and the transporter severely damaged.[17]

Explosions were heard and a huge mushroom cloud of smoke was visible over the motorway as the fire took hold and destroyed the car transporter and its cargo.

The inferno was eventually extinguished and the motorway reopened around 12 hours later, before being closed at about 8pm to allow resurfacing work to take place.

Lorry carrying 17-tonnes of waste bursts into flames

An HGV carrying several tonnes of household waste caught fire on the motorway on October 9. The blaze ignited near Exeter, between junctions 28 and 29, on Thursday, October 9.

Unlike the transporter fire, only one lane was closed while Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service were called to the scene to extinguish the blaze. The vehicle was taken to Cullompton services and emptied of the waste so firefighters could better extinguish it.

The fire service said in a statement at the time: "Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue said in a statement: "We were called at 1.20pm to a lorry carrying 17 tonnes of household waste on fire on the hard shoulder.

"We sent three pumping appliances and relocated the lorry to Cullompton Services where the trailer was emptied of its waste contents so that the fire could be fully extinguished using hose reel jets, breathing apparatus and drag forks.

"One lane of the northbound carriageway was closed initially.

Accidental cause."

Electrical appliance blaze

As yet another vehicle fire took hold of the motorway, the M5 was closed again this week while firefighters tackled the blaze. Crews were called to the motorway at junction 30, where a lorry carrying batteries and electrical appliances caught fire[18] at around midday on Wednesday, October 15.

The M5 was closed northbound and a major incident was declared due to the amount of smoke pouring from the vehicle[19].

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue[20] Service said: "Crews are in attendance at a fire which started in a trailer carrying small domestic appliances. M5 North has been closed and remains closed at this time.

"There are three fire engines in attendance, an aerial ladder platform and two water bowsers.

"Local residents and businesses are advised to keep their windows and doors closed.

The Environment agency has been made aware.

"Police have declared this a major incident[21] due to the ongoing traffic disruption and smoke spread."

Two hour delays were reported on the motorway[22] as drivers were once again struck by the delays.

References

1. ^ regular M5 drivers (www.devonlive.com)
2. ^ the M5 is a necessary evil if drivers ever want to leave the region (www.devonlive.com)
3. ^ in the middle of a series of overnight M5 closures (www.devonlive.com)
4. ^ Two significant multivehicle collisions closed the motorway (www.devonlive.com)
5. ^ Tiverton (www.devonlive.com)
6. ^ Cullompton (www.devonlive.com)
7. ^ a man died at the scene of a crash (www.devonlive.com)
8. ^ Ford (www.devonlive.com)
9. ^ Plymouth (www.devonlive.com)
10. ^ Cullompton (www.devonlive.com)
11. ^ Traffic delays persisted throughout the day. (www.devonlive.com)
12. ^ the M5 (www.devonlive.com)
13. ^ a vehicle transporting nine electric cars caught fire on the motorway in Devon (www.devonlive.com)
14. ^ Exeter (www.devonlive.com)
15. ^ fought the blaze which involve nine electric vehicles on the back of a car transporter (www.devonlive.com)
16. ^ Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue (www.devonlive.com)
17. ^ with all the cars and the transporter severely damaged. (www.devonlive.com)
18. ^ a lorry carrying batteries and electrical appliances caught fire (www.devonlive.com)
19. ^ the amount of smoke pouring from the vehicle (www.devonlive.com)
20. ^ Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue (www.devonlive.com)
21. ^ Police have declared this a major incident (www.devonlive.com)
22. ^ Two hour delays were reported on the motorway (www.devonlive.com)