M1 closed in South Yorkshire after crane fire

M1 crane fire
The crane caught fire on the northbound side of the M1. Credit: Twitter/@Sue31957680

The M1 was closed in both directions in South Yorkshire after a crane caught fire.

The motorway was shut between junction 30 for Sheffield and junction 31 for Worksop. The incident, at about 1.30pm on Friday, happened on the northbound carriageway, but smoke caused poor visibility on the southbound side.

Credit: @Sue31957680

A spokesperson for National Highways said: "The fire service advises that this is likely to be a protracted operation to extinguish the fire and that the road will need to remain closed for several hours.

"There are currently delays of around 45 minutes and congestion of four miles. A diversion route is being established."

Drivers were warned of delays in both directions.

Firefighters were at the scene.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.