A38 closed in rush hour chaos after crane engulfed by fire
Drivers have been hit by severe delays after a crane fire closed the A38 in Plymouth this morning during rush hour.
Commuters were warned of delays of 30 minutes on the major A-road in Plymouth this morning after a huge crane caught on fire.
It was seen burning on the side of the road, with thick black smoke billowing into the air.
Traffic on the westbound carriageway came to a halt at about 7.23am between B3416 Plympton and A374 Efford outside Plymouth after the blaze.
Smoke from the blaze also shut two lanes on the eastbound carriageway after safety concerns which have since reopened.
Video showed one driver squeezing past the crane just yards away as the fire raged on.
Firefighters rushed to the scene alongside the police, ambulance service and highways officers after reports of a fire.
National Highways warned of severe delays of up to 60 minutes at about 9.30am.
It also feared the fire may have caused a ‘substantial spillage’
National Highways said: ‘By 09:29 the fire had been extinguished and both Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service and South West Ambulance Service had left the scene with specialist recovery agents now at scene preparing the crane for the recovery operation.
‘National Highways service providers have also been requested to attend and assess a substantial spillage from the fire.
‘All traffic caught within the closure has been slowly released past the scene.’
Congestion was reported for three miles on approach to the closure at Plympton, National Highways said.
South West Ambulance Service told Metro.co.uk it dispatched a double-crewed land ambulance and an operations officer after they received a call about the incident at 7.14am.
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