Lorry Crash on M6: Vehicle Plunges 60 Metres from Thelwall Viaduct

A lorry crashed from the Thelwall Viaduct on the M6 motorway near Warrington, Cheshire, falling approximately 60 metres and overturning on the embankment below. The incident occurred at around 18:50 BST between junctions 20 and 21, according to Cheshire Police.

Despite the severity of the fall, the driver of the vehicle is not believed to have sustained life-threatening injuries, Cheshire Police stated. Emergency response teams including Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service utilized technical equipment to descend and reach the driver safely. Firefighters also applied water to cool the heavy goods vehicle (HGV) and employed bunding techniques to contain a significant leak of around 1,000 litres of bio-diesel from the ruptured fuel tanks.

The northbound carriageway of the M6 has been severely affected, with three lanes closed due to substantial damage to the barrier. Cheshire Police announced that these closures would persist overnight, with only one lane remaining operational under a reduced speed limit. Motorists are advised by authorities to seek alternate routes while the incident is managed.

Traffic monitoring service Inrix reported ongoing stationary traffic due to the serious accident, affecting travel from junction 20 at M56 J9 (Lymm Interchange) to junction 21 at A57 Manchester Road (Woolston). The normal traffic flow is not forecasted to resume until later in the evening, taking into account the extent of damage to the infrastructure.