M6 horror as lorry plunges 60 feet off busy motorway bridge prompting fears of fuel leak
The lorry plunged more than 60 feet from the M6
PA
The police have issued an urgent warning to motorists after a lorry plummeted more than 60 feet off a bridge on a major motorway yesterday evening.
The vehicle fell from the Thelwall Viaduct between junctions 20 and 21 on the M6, landing on an embankment below.
According to Cheshire Constabulary, the driver of the vehicle is not believed to have suffered life-threatening injuries.
The incident, which took place at around 6.50pm on Monday evening, resulted in fire crews using specialist equipment to lower themselves down to the driver.
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The lorry plunged more than 60 feet from the M6 PAThree lanes were closed for hours following the incident on the northbound carriageway due to serious damage caused to the barrier.
One lane remained open, although drivers on the M6 dealt with a reduced speed limit to compensate for the accident.
Cheshire Constabulary said the lane closures will remain in place for some time and are expected to continue into the morning (Tuesday).
Motorists have been urged to avoid the area and find an alternative route during these hours or they will face long backlogs of traffic.
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service used water to cool the lorry and stopped a leak of around 1,000 litres of bio-diesel from the vehicle.
National Highways warned that a "complex repair operation is underway and will continue throughout the morning" as drivers dealt through the night and into rush hour.
A statement from Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "Firefighters were called to reports of a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) that had left the carriageway of the M6 northbound between Junction 20 and 21, close to the Thelwall Viaduct.
"On arrival, they found that a HGV had left the carriageway and overturned on an embankment, falling approximately 60 feet.
"Crews used technical rescue equipment to lower themselves and reach the casualty, who was handed over to the care of attending paramedics.
"Crews have applied water to cool the HGV and are using bunding to contain a leak of approximately 1,000 litres of bio-diesel from the fuel tanks of the vehicle," Manchester Evening News reported.
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The wreckage of the lorry after it plunged more than 60 feet
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Traffic maps from National Highways still shows large stretches of the northbound carriageway dealing with standstill traffic at junction 20 and 20a.