M54 westbound closed in Shropshire after HGV hay fire

The westbound M54 in Shropshire was closed between Junction 3 and Junction 4 following a significant fire involving a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) carrying approximately 70 tonnes of hay. The incident occurred on Tuesday evening, August 11, at approximately 6:27 pm.

Six fire appliances from Bridgnorth, Shrewsbury, Telford, and Wellington responded to the blaze. Firefighters utilized thermal imaging cameras to locate hotspots within the compressed hay bales. West Mercia Police and National Highways assisted in managing the scene and enforcing the closure.

The westbound carriageway remained closed into Wednesday morning to allow for recovery operations and necessary road resurfacing. Traffic officers and emergency services worked to manage diversions and mitigate the impact of the closure on the surrounding road network.