A large lorry carrying carpets has been completely destroyed by a fire on the Buckinghamshire/Oxfordshire border along the M40.

On Tuesday, June 27, smoke and loud bangs were seen and heard from the heavy goods vehicle which was located in Bicester at around 5.45am.

The lorry’s tyres had exploded from the heat and due to the severity of the blaze, the motorway was fully closed southbound between junction 10 at Ardley and junction 9 at Bicester.

Two crews from Bicester Fire Station, along with personnel from Banbury, Kidlington and Rewley Road attended, along with a specialist water carrier from Wheatley.

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According to the Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, ‘the southbound carriageway was shut for approximately an hour before traffic was initially able to pass once colleagues from Highways Agency reopened the carriageway.’

Crews from four stations responded to this lorry carrying vehicle carpets well alight between junction 10 and 9...

Posted by Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service (Official) on Tuesday, 27 June 2023

Despite the lorry being decimated in the inferno,  ‘there was no risk to the public’ and that ‘no injuries were reported’.

An operation to safely remove the lorry began some two hours after the emergency services were called, with the National Highways stating that ‘traffic disruption was expected until early afternoon while the lorry is recovered.’

Bicester is located in North East Oxfordshire, and is only a 20-minute drive from Buckingham along the A421, or a half-hour trek away to Aylesbury via the A41 in Buckinghamshire respectively.