Huge lorry fire causes rush hour delays on M6 near Birmingham

| Senior Live News reporter Published August 7, 2026 5:14pm Updated August 7, 2026 5:19pm A lorry was engulfed in flames near Birmingham on the M6 today, causing severe traffic delays (Picture: National Highways) The Friday rush hour traffic has been hit by delays across the UK after a lorry fire near Birmingham and a crash on the M40. Drivers on the M6 near Birmingham Airport were warned of severe delays after the HGV blaze on the northbound lane this afternoon. Two lanes out of four remain closed as rush hour kicks off after the fire between junction J4A and J5. The raging flames engulfed the entire lorry in a dramatic scene, with vehicle appearing to have been destroyed. No injuries were reported. The road surface was also damaged, and will need emergency resurfacing this evening, National Highways said. Sign up for all of the latest stories Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens. Delays of around 50 minutes remain on approach, with congestion snarling back for five miles. Lanes 1 & 2 (of 4) remain closed on the #M6 north between J4A #M42 junction & J5 #SuttonColdfield following a fire.The road will need to be resurfaced, which will take place later this evening.Current delays of 50 minutes on approach, with 5 miles of congestion. pic.twitter.com/FUejFRxecP— National Highways: West Midlands (@HighwaysWMIDS) August 7, 2026 Birmingham Airport warned passengers of the travel disruption earlier, and advised people to allow extra time if heading to and from the airport. Elsewhere, a serious crash has closed the M40 northbound in Oxfordshire, causing over two-hour delays at its height. National Highways said: ‘The M40 in Oxfordshire is closed northbound between J10 near Ardley and J11 near Banbury due to a serious collision which occurred shortly after 11:30 this morning. ‘Thames Valley emergency services attended the scene and Thames Valley Police remain in attendance. ‘All traffic caught within the closure has been released.’ The road has since reopened, but some residual delays remain. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page. Arrow MORE: I was screamed at for flying business class with a crying baby — is it wrong? Arrow MORE: Mallorca braces for second anti-tourism protest after police fired rubber bullets in Palma Arrow MORE: The £24,000,000 Soho Farmhouse rival that’s opening in the Cotswolds in 2027 News Updates Stay on top of the headlines with daily email updates.