TWO firefighters were taken to hospital after a fierce oil blaze which sealed off the M6.

The fire broke out just before 10pm on Tuesday, October 22, when an articulated lorry carrying 12 tonnes of engine oil in four-litre containers burst into flames as the result of a mechanical failure. It is believed that an overheated rear axle burst into flames and spread to the load.

The incident happened on the north-bound carriageway of the motorway between junctions 22 and 23 near Haydock.

Nine fire engines were called to fight the blaze which at one stage covered 800 yards of the motorway.

Both firefighters who were taken to Warrington Hospital suffered minor burns to their feet. The driver of the lorry was uninjured.

All the lanes of the motorway were closed off immediately. The south-bound carriageway was re-opened at 11.30pm the same night and the middle and outside lanes of the north-bound carriageway were re-opened at 3am on Wednesday morning.

At the time of the Star going to press on Wednesday the hard shoulder and inside lane of the north-bound carriageway remained closed as a result of surface damage caused by the blaze. Inspectors were due to attend the scene to assess the damage.

Merseyside Fire Brigade spokesman Mike Harris said: "The 40ft trailer was carrying a load of lubricating oil in plastic drums. When they melted in the fire, the oil was just running down the road, and we had a running fire 500 to 800 yards long."

JUST nine hours after the oil blaze a juggernaut overturned on the north-bound access slip road at Junction 24 of the M6 motorway.

The incident occurred at about 7am on Wednesday, October 23, when the 15-tonne lorry loaded with cardboard turned over onto its side.

The driver was taken to Wigan Royal Infirmary, but his injuries at the time of going to press were not thought to be serious.

Cheshire County Council sanded down the hard shoulder of the access road and police warned of possible delays and congestion in the areas around the A580 and Junctions 23 and 24 of the M6 motorway. The Junction 24 access was expected to be closed for some time.

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