The shocking moment a Tesco lorry exploded into a ball of flames was captured on dashcam footage by a terrified driver.
Anthony Moc was travelling along the M25 clockwise, between Junction 5 for Sevenoaks and Junction 6 near Godstone, last night when the truck crashed into a barrier.
A huge fireball erupted from the lorry – spilling flames onto the carriageway as it veered into the central reservation before coming to a standstill.
Scientist Mr Moc says he believes the lorry was trying to take the exit for Clacket Lane services at the last minute before the collision.
“He smashed into the barrier and there was a big ball of fire,” the 29-year-old said.
“I was panicked and a bit scared.
“This was the first time I had seen any sort of accident while driving.
“I was worried the lorry was going to explode.”
The blaze broke out at about 10.15pm last night and forced the closure of the M25 in both directions.
Five fire engines and two water carriers were called to deal with the incident and crews were at the scene for 10 hours.
National Highways says the blaze caused major damage to the road surface and central reservation barrier.
Due to the intensity of the fire, the recovery of the vehicle has also been complicated as parts of it have disintegrated.
Work is ongoing to remove debris from the carriageway and specialist cutting equipment is being used to dismantle the remaining parts of the vehicle on site.
Mr Moc added: “It caught on fire really quickly and I was really surprised by that.
“There was a lot of fire.
“I am not used to it – I am used to my normal, boring drive.”
The clockwise carriageway of the M25 is likely to remain closed into the evening to allow for the recovery and resurfacing.
Lanes three and four are also closed on the anticlockwise carriageway between Godstone and Sevenoaks.
Drivers are warned to expect delays on diversion routes, including the A21, A25 and A22.
A Tesco spokesperson confirmed the incident involved one of its vehicles, and the company is supporting emergency services with their investigations.
The driver sustained minor injuries, according to Surrey Police.
Congestion is stretching back to junction 3 of the M20 for the Swanley Interchange, and anticlockwise back to junction 7 of the M23.
There are also long queues on the A25 diversion back into Sevenoaks.
Elsewhere, traffic is stretching back for miles due to emergency roadworks at the Dartford Crossing after one of the tunnels remained closed throughout the day.
Some people on social media reported long delays to what would normally be short journeys.
The network operations manager for National Highways in the South East, Robert Bell, advised drivers earlier to avoid the area if they could.
He added: “The challenging nature and extensive damage these incidents have caused means the closures are going to run into tonight’s commute and my advice is to please plan your journey, allow extra time, and avoid the area if you possibly can.
“We have diversions in place but due to these incidents impacting each other there is already significant disruption in the surrounding areas and we expect this to get worse as we move towards the evening commute.
“Getting these roads open is our absolute priority and we are doing everything we can to make that happen.
“The M25 and the Dartford crossing are major parts of the strategic road network, and we understand the inconvenience and disruption any closure has.
“We appreciate people’s patience and understanding while these significant repairs are undertaken.”
