Police car bursts into flames causing huge delays on the A1 near Fawdon

Drivers on a major North East road experienced significant delays when a police car burst into flames.

Huge tailbacks stretched along the A1(M) Northbound after the police car caught fire in the middle lane close to the Fawdon Interchange exit on Tuesday evening. Fire crews extinguished the blaze within 19 minutes of the call being made to the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) control room.

However, the incident still resulted in huge delays until the vehicle was able to be recovered. The fire, which happened at around 6.30pm, occurred shortly after emergency services had responded to a two-vehicle collision on the same stretch of road, close to the Gosforth Park exit. While the two incidents were unrelated, drivers were already experiencing delays as a result of the collision.

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Photos from the scene of the fire show a burnt out police car with its doors open. A section of the road was closed until the car was able to be recovered a short time later.

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: "At around 6.30pm on Tuesday (September 3), we were alerted to a report of a police vehicle being on fire on the A1 northbound, shortly before the Fawdon Interchange exit.

"Emergency services attended the scene where the fire was extinguished and thankfully no injuries were reported. The vehicle was uplifted and the road was cleared a short time later."

TWFRS confirmed that two crews were dispatched to the scene from West Denton Community Fire Station, who used three hose reels and three breathing apparatus units to extinguish the blaze.

A spokesperson for the fire service said: "We can confirm on Tuesday evening (3rd September) that two crews from West Denton Community Fire Station were dispatched to a car fire in Newcastle.

"The Control Room received the emergency call at 6.30pm and the crews were sent to the A1 northbound, just before the Fawdon Interchange exit.

"Three hose reels and three breathing apparatus units were used to extinguish the vehicle fire. Our crews left the scene at 6.49pm."