A car caught fire on the M5 near Gloucester this afternoon (Friday, April 18), causing traffic congestion. The incident, which occurred on the southbound carriageway of the motorway between Cheltenham and Gloucester, was reported shortly before 12.30pm.
Emergency services responded to the area, and a photo shared with Gloucestershire Live depicted the smoking fire on the road.
There were reports of five miles of traffic on the southbound road, but delays also affected northbound drivers.
Drivers were advised to expect delays of up to 60 minutes during the incident. National Highways issued a warning that traffic was being held on the southbound side, but it was eventually freed. However, two lanes of the M5 were stopped until approximately 2.20pm.
Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service reported that it received a complaint of a red Ford fiesta at 12.18pm and dispatched three appliances to fight the fire: one from Cheltenham East, one from Cheltenham West, and one from Tewkesbury.
A water carrier was also utilized.
The fire service was unable to determine the cause of the incident, although no significant injuries were recorded.
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