M1 fire LIVE: Major UK motorway grinds to halt after van blaze outside busy airport

A major motorway has been brought to a standstill after a van caught fire and led to diesel spilling across the carriageway. The M1 southbound in Leicestershire is closed between Junction 24 (Kegworth) and Junction 23a (East Midlands Airport) after the van fire broke out at around 1.20pm, followed by diesel spillage. National Highways [1] said a full safety inspection of the carriageway will be carried out before the motorway can reopen and urged motorists in the area to allow extra time for their journeys. The highways agency said in the evening that all traffic trapped within the closure has now been allowed through.

However, the M1 southbound between junctions 24 and 23a remained closed, with the area still heavily congested and miles of tailbacks.

18:56Eliana Nunes

Traffic in Derby is having a 'severe effect' on bus services

Arriva Bus has said in a post on X: "Good evening due to An incident on the M1 the traffic is being forced through Derby. This is have a severe effect. on our service 2,2A 1A,1B, and 1C we apologise for any inconvenience this may cause."

17:57Eliana Nunes

Road remains closed

The M1 southbound in Leicestershire remains closed between junction 24 (Kegworth) and junction 23a (East Midlands Airport) following a vehicle fire and diesel spillage. National Highways said in an update on its website that all traffic trapped within the closure has now been released past the scene.

17:05Eliana Nunes

Some traffic is being released

Traffic monitoring service Inrix reports that some vehicles are now being released.

Traffic has been held after a vehicle fire broke out on the M1 southbound between junctions 24 and 23a. However, the motorway remains heavily congested southbound, with Inrix warning of "severe delays" for drivers.

Queues are stretching from junction 24 (East Midlands Airport) back to Trowell (Google Maps)16:23Eliana Nunes

Fire has been extinguished

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said the blaze on the M1 southbound has been contained. The response has been scaled back to one fire engine, with crews working to "damp down" the scene, the service added.

Fire crews tackling a van fire on the M1 (Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service)16:07KEY EVENT

Delays reach one hour on M1

Delays have reached up to an hour on the M1 following the earlier van fire, which forced the closure of the southbound carriageway between Junction 24 (Kegworth) and Junction 23a (East Midlands Airport).

Google Maps reports delays of around an hour, with traffic tailing back from East Midlands Airport to Long Eaton.

16:02Eliana Nunes

Diversions in place

Diversions are in place for drivers travelling along the M1. Road users should follow the route marked with a solid triangle symbol:

Exit the M1 southbound at Junction 24.
Take the 4th exit onto the A453 southbound.
Continue southbound on the A453 to the M1 J23a / A42 / A453 Finger Farm Roundabout.
At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto the M1/A42 southbound entry slip road.
Continue onto the M1 southbound free-flow lane.
Rejoin the main M1 southbound carriageway at J23a.

16:01KEY EVENT

Van fire led to diesel spillage across carriageway

National Highways has said in a statement on its website: "The M1 southbound in Leicestershire remains closed between Junction 24 (Kegworth) and Junction 23a (East Midlands Airport) following a vehicle fire which resulted in a diesel spillage across the carriageway. "Emergency services are in attendance and National Highways specialist contractors are en route to assess and treat the contaminated road surface.

"A full safety inspection of the carriageway and associated infrastructure will be carried out before any decision is made to reopen, ensuring the road is safe for traffic, with the possibility of resurfacing." A van caught fire at around 1.20pm today, Leicestershire Live [2] reports.

The fire service shared footage of the blaze (Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service )15:56Eliana Nunes

Motorists should expect delays, says fire service

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said in a post on social media: "Our crews from Castle Donington, Coalville and Loughborough Station attended a vehicle fire on the M1 motorway southbound between J24 and J23A this afternoon. There were no casualties.

This is an ongoing incident and motorists should expect delays."

References

^ National Highways (www.mirror.co.uk)
^ Leicestershire Live (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)