M62 chaos: Drivers urged to avoid key motorway route with huge lorry blaze – ‘It’s not safe to allow traffic’

Drivers are being urged to avoid a key route on the M62 following a massive lorry fire, with drivers seeing black smoke billowing from the vehicle.

Traffic has been stopped on the M62 eastbound between J22 Saddleworth and J23 Huddersfield in West Yorkshire.

Officers from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and West Yorkshire Police Roads Policing Unit are on the scene.

The latest update from National Highways: Yorkshire states: “Due to a substantial lorry fire, the lorry was transporting sawdust. The fire has also spread to the nearside embankment.”

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Delays of 60 minutes have been reported on the approach to the closure with drivers told to expect delays with slow traffic on the diversion route.

Two lanes (of three) are also closed westbound past the scene due to drifting smoke.

A further statement from National Highways states: “There is also substantial drifting smoke from the lorry fire which is affecting both carriageways.

“It is therefore not safe to allow traffic on the eastbound carriageway to run past the scene.”