Van destroyed by fire in layby off A23 near Bolney

The interior of the vehicle was melted as the inferno ripped through it on the A23 near Bolney.

Police closed the road for about an hour shortly after 10am this morning as officers worked alongside fire crews to deal with the incident.

The van belonged to the Thompson Group, which has its roots as a "specialist fire detection and prote4ction business".

A spokeswoman for the company said: "As a business, our primary concern is for the wellbeing and safety of our colleagues and the wider community.

"The driver of the vehicle is safe, well and has not been injured.

"The cause of the fire is currently unknown.

"The vehicle has now been recovered."

A West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: “Joint Fire Control was alerted to reports of a van on fire on the A23 southbound between Bolney and Hickstead at 9.59am this morning.

“Two fire engines from Haywards Heath were mobilised to the scene along with one from Burgess Hill.

“Upon arrival they found a van in a layby well alight.

"Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus got to work quickly to bring the fire under control, extinguishing it using three hose reels and an ultra-high pressure pump with foam.  

"They then used a thermal imaging camera on the vehicle to ensure there were no further signs of fire.

“The last crew booked away from the incident at 11.39am."

The fire service said no one had been rescued during the incident.