Man escapes from burning lorry on A64
Police were called on Thursday 4 September after reports that a lorry had caught fire on the hard shoulder of the eastbound carriageway of the A64 near Copmanthorpe.
Traffic was at a standstill as the eastbound carriageway remained fully closed while North Yorkshire Fire crews put the blaze out.
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Hide AdAfter the fire, crews dealt with a considerable amount of diesel on the carriageway meaning only one lane was able to reopen.
Mike Palfrey, 28, from York, was travelling on the A64 when he saw smoke billowing from the vehicle.
He said: “I was heading westbound on the A64 at 7am, I could see the fire/black smoke from the moment I joined at the A1237 junction.
“As I approached, a few cars were passing the cab eastbound as the smoke was starting to affect the carriageway.
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Hide Ad“The vehicle was fully engulfed and there was no services there, so the fire must have taken hold quickly.
“As I was about to pass there was a fair bang and the front grill came away, cars were still trying to get round in the outside lane east bound.”
North Yorkshire Police urged travellers to avoid the area despite managing to open a second lane after the incident.
Fortunately the driver of the HGV managed to escape from his vehicle before it set alight and police reported the lorry had been recovered.
The road was expected fully reopened at around 11.45am.