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A section of one of the UK’s busiest motorways is closed after a lorry caught fire and sent thick black smoke billowing into the sky.
The M25 between J30 Dartford and J29 Romford was shut down after a HGV carrying rubber car tyres burst into flames across four lanes of traffic on Wednesday afternoon.
Dramatic images showed towering flames and plumes of smoke above the stretch of motorway as firefighters rushed to tackle the blaze.
A diversion route has been created, with delays of at least one hour in the anti-clockwise direction. Plans are being put in place to allow vehicles caught within the closure to move away.
Dozens of firefighters from Essex County Fire and Rescue Service are tackling the fire near the Thames crossing that connects Kent and Essex.
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It said the tyres being carried by the lorry, which could be seen sprawled across the road, are “alight” and “producing large amounts of smoke”.
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National Highways said: “Due to the nature of the fire, it is still anticipated that the road will remain closed throughout the day, with resurfacing likely to be required.”
The Dartford Crossing consists of a bridge and two tunnels connecting Thurrock in Essex with Dartford. Up to 180,000 vehicles use the crossing on its busiest days.