Van fire closed motorway M60 slip road

A van which contained washing machines burst into flames on the Middleton slip road of the M60 motorway at 1.38pm on Wednesday 12 December.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) were called to the scene, where a white box-type transit van had caught fire on the motorway exit slip road.

The GMFRS Control Room received several calls from passers-by reporting the fire.

Firefighters had to get water from the fire engines onto the van and the road was closed off so they could work safely.

Heywood Station Manager Ian Tracey said: "The fire originated in the engine compartment and it's been put down to an electrical short circuit.

"The incident happened on the slip road to Middleton and we closed off the road for a short time but luckily it didn't have too much of an impact on the traffic.

"We also liaised with the Highways Agency because of the amount of water that was running onto the roads so they could arrange for the road to be gritted."

Around 80 per cent fire damage was caused to the vehicle but luckily nobody was injured.