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M6 motorway reopens after van fire and diesel spill

Susie RackWest Midlands
News imageGetty Images Aerial night-time view of a large motorway interchange, with multiple elevated roads and looping slip roads crossing over one another. Streetlights illuminate the carriageways, creating bright ribbons of light against the dark surrounding landscape. A small number of vehicles are visible as streaks of white and red lights along the roads. Trees and patches of greenery fill the spaces between the sweeping curves of the junction.Getty Images
The southbound carriageway was shut at junction six for Gravelly Hill Interchange, known as Spaghetti Junction, after a van caught fire

The M6 motorway was shut in the West Midlands on Saturday after a van fire and "significant diesel spillage" caused significant delays, National Highways said.

All lanes were closed for more than two hours on the southbound side of the carriageway between junction six for Gravelly Hill Interchange, known as Spaghetti Junction, and junction five near Castle Bromwich from around 16:00 GMT.

Emergency services attended the scene with contractors to assess the road surface and recover the vehicle before two lanes were reopened at about 18:30.

Motorists were advised to follow diversion routes via the A45127 southbound and A47 eastbound to join the motorway after junction five.

The route fully reopened to traffic at about 19:30.

News imageCatherine Kovacs Flames and thick black smoke billow from a large vehicle fire beside a motorway, viewed from inside a passing car. Bright orange flames are visible behind the central crash barrier, while a dense plume of dark smoke rises high into the sky. The image appears to be a screenshot from a mobile phone video, with the car dashboard visible in the foreground and trees lining the roadside in the background.Catherine Kovacs
National Highways said a single vehicle was involved and no injuries were reported

A National Highways spokesperson said they were called to the scene at 15:35 GMT and just one vehicle was involved in the incident.

No injuries have been reported.

In an update shortly after 17:00, the organisation said traffic caught within the closure was being released in lane four.

At 18:30, National Highways reported that there were delays of around 30 minutes on the approach to the scene while lanes one and two remained closed.

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