A motor burst into flames just off the M4 causing major disruption at the airport. The vehicle caught alight inside a tunnel in the early hours of yesterday morning
Heathrow: Footage shows car fire near M4 which caused major traffic delays
Dramatic footage shows the car that burst into flames close to Heathrow Airport on Monday, causing lengthy delays.
A dramatic video has emerged which captured the moment the car was engulfed in flames, causing significant delays at the travel hub. The vehicle caught fire in a tunnel near the M4 motorway early yesterday morning, prompting emergency services to close the spur road.
The footage captures the intense blaze and a subsequent explosion. A National Highways spokesperson stated yesterday: “The M4 southbound spur Heathrow in Greater London is closed between the M4 J4 and J4A due to a vehicle fire in the tunnel. Emergency services are in attendance. Please allow extra time for your journey. Thank you for your patience.”
Local residents expressed their shock, with one labelling the incident as “mad.” Another commented: “Such a massive design flaw having two of the terminals in the middle of the airport and only one road access.” Travellers were advised to use public transport or alternative routes, such as the M25 J14 or M4 J3, as reported by Need to Know.
A National Highways spokesperson later confirmed that the road has reopened, stating: “Traffic officers have advised that the M5 southbound spur Heathrow in Greater London between the J4 and J5A has now been reopened. There are several delays on the approach to Heathrow Airport so please allow extra time for your journey this morning.”
The incident occurred in one of the airport’s tunnels, which connects Terminals 1, 2 and 3. Emergency services were called to the scene at around 3am on March 10, to fight the flames. The vehicle was totally destroyed, although there were no reports of any injuries.
A spokesman for Heathrow Airport said: “Due to an earlier vehicle fire, road access to Terminals 2 and 3 is partially restricted. Passengers are advised to leave more time travelling to the airport and use public transport where possible. Latest updates can be found on Heathrow.com and our social media channels. We apologise for the disruption caused.”
At the time, a London Fire Brigade spokesman said: “We were called just before 3am today to reports of car fire in a tunnel near Heathrow Airport. Firefighters attended and discovered a car fully alight. The fire was safely extinguished by firefighters and no one was reported to be injured. The vehicle involved was diesel-powered. The airport has since confirmed the tunnel has reopened.”
Yesterday morning, Heathrow’s departure board showed that at least 17 flights had been cancelled, according to The Express, however, it was not clear whether the car explosion had anything to do with them.
Monday’s Good Morning Britain was also halted to announce the breaking news centred around the travel chaos for motorists heading to Heathrow Airport following the car fire inside a tunnel that led to congestion on the M4 and A4.
