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A27 still closed after lorry fire

5:29pm Thursday 2nd July 2009 in


Motorists were stuck in a nightmare traffic jam in searing heat after a road-sweeper caught fire on the A27.

Cars ended up parked end-to-end on the eastbound carriageway of the A27 near the Southwick tunnel after the blaze shut the road.

The lorry's driver parked it in a lay-by to the east of the tunnel after the vehicle suffered a blow-out.

It then burst into flames at about 1.30pm.

Firefighters quickly dealt with the fire but the gallons of spilled red diesel on the carriageway meant the road had to be closed for several hours while the scene was made safe.

The Environment Agency was called to help with the clean-up operation.

Traffic was diverted down to the A259 and the cars that were trapped between the diversion and the lorry were turned around and led to the alternate route.

The Highways Agency said it expected the road to re-open at about 6pm.

Comments(10)

TheInsider says...
7:03pm Thu 2 Jul 09

Astonishing.
I have just come through this route at about 6.30pm and the cones were just being removed but the length of time it has taken to deal with a small fire has left more than a dozen vehicles broken down and over heating on the hard shoulder creating a fire hazard.
And if anyone says the road surface was "unsafe" after the fire should walk along the Upper Lewes Road in Brighton, it's a disgrace and a death trap.

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Jay-kay says...
7:09pm Thu 2 Jul 09

they should of got another roadsweeper to clear up the mess....

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MarkyH says...
10:05pm Thu 2 Jul 09

Red diesel in a road vehicle? Hope customs and excise were there too!

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Charlie C says...
11:31pm Thu 2 Jul 09

Roadsweepers have a second (diesel) engine in the back to run pumps. They run on ribina, not the lorry itself.

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scotty2hainsy says...
8:30am Fri 3 Jul 09

I can assure you that it was not just a small fire yesterday. The potential to do serious damage was high and that is why the road was closed. Diesel is very slippery, would have caused many accidents rather than a few overheated cars. Plus, it had the chance to ignite due to the very high temparatures and the environment agency were also there to remove the foam that was applied. Safety is paramount and completely justified the road being closed - no matter how long it took!

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Redbeard says...
9:00am Fri 3 Jul 09

Not fun yesterday, I was diverted to the Old Shoreham Road into a great traffic jam due to the roadworks on it...YAY. At least I had some good music to listen to.

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Q-car says...
9:04am Fri 3 Jul 09

To the tool in the silver Peugeout 206 that was tailgating me and eveyone else eastbound on the A27 yesterday. You obviously didn't see the signs telling you to come off at the Holmbush interchange and the big red flashing lights telling you the road was closed. We weren't all pulling over to let you pass, we were leaving the A27 because it was closed. I can only hope you spent the next 4 hours staring at slightly charred roadsweeper until the road was re-opened. I almost crashed my car lauging as you flew past the last chance to leave the A27 and down the strangely empty road all on your own.

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Lil says...
10:22am Fri 3 Jul 09

Thank goodness I heard this on the radio before getting near it. The road behind the Downs via Fulking and Poynings was nice and quiet, back up the Saddlescombe Road and bob's your burnt out road sweeping uncle.

Feel sorry for those stuck in the jams, especially considering they have one lane open at that cross road in Southwick where they are apparently doing absolutely NOTHING.

It did mean that everywhere east of Brighton was relatively quiet during rush hour... I even got to where I was going in the quickest time ever, Worthing to Saltdean in about 45 minutes, unhead off between 4.30 and the end of rush hour.

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Stu says...
1:22pm Fri 3 Jul 09

Yet again more evidence of why each side of the tunnel needs to be able to accept traffic in both directions. I've just come back from Spain and we drove down a dual carriageway with lots of tunnels. Either side of the tunnel there were crossing points on the central reservation- all marked out and ready to use. Gates to swing across the carriageway, and emergency gantry signs to allow each side of the tunnel to be used by 2 way traffic. Why are we so crap at doing this kind of thing in the UK?

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smiley_miley says...
11:05pm Fri 3 Jul 09

It was a bit of a hot and sweaty nightmare for all drivers caught up in the jams particularly around the Holmbush roundabout where traffic just backed up all the way into Marks & Spencers and Tesco car park then down to Old Shoreham Road in Southwick.

I think what doesn't help is that no one seems to have any patience. Ok, yes there is a jam and yes it is bloody hot but if everyone just stopped being so selfish (hogging the roundabouts/blocking others/pushing through bumper to bumper) you would find that things would move easier and you would get out of the jam a little bit quicker. I sat in it and heard people mouthing-off at others who were pushing through and hogging the roundabout, several horns-a-blowing and clenched fists emerging from windows...I did my bit to maintain sanity...radio on, Air-Con On and let people who have right of way through all the while maintaining a steady movement through it myself. Home in no time! If people tried to be a bit more considerate then these things probably wouldn't be so bad. :)

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