Car fire closes Motorway

THE driver of a car had a lucky escape yesterday, Tuesday (January 22), when the car caught fire between junctions six and seven on the M40.

David Bray, of Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “Upon arrival, crews were faced with a car fire on the hard shoulder. The incident was brought under control quickly and safely by fire fighters wearing breathing apparatus, using high pressure hosereels. The northbound carriageway was closed for approximately 20 minutes due to the smoke and steam from the vehicle obscuring the carriageway.

“The driver of the vehicle told the crews that strange noises were heard coming from the engine, followed by smoke coming out from under the bonnet. Fortunately the driver managed to get the car to the relative safety of the hard shoulder and got out before the fire started spreading to the passenger compartment.

“Thames Valley Police and Highways England were also on scene and helped the Fire and Rescue Service by assisting with the road closure and then, once the carriageway could be re-opened, controlled the flow of traffic ensuring the scene was kept safe for fire crews to operate.”

Watch Manager, Nick Windsor from Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue Service, who was the incident Commander, said: “The driver of vehicle was very quick to react to the situation, bring the vehicle to the safety of the hard shoulder and thankfully, no one sustained any injuries. These incidents are rare but have the potential to be of a serious nature. Drivers should ensure that they get their vehicles serviced regularly. Drivers passing this type of incident should also ensure that, where possible, they try to keep their distance from the scene.”