A LORRY driver who discovered his vehicle was on fire after motorists started signalling to him managed to escape just in time.

The driver who was travelling on the A361 at Chipping Norton at rush hour pulled over and escaped his cab moments before the vehicle was engulfed in flames.

He called 999 and by the time firefighters arrived minutes later the 30-tonne lorry carrying aggregate and the cab were swathed in fire.

Because of the size of the fire and potential for large amount of diesel that could be in the tank, the firefighters from Chipping Norton quickly requested a second fire engine to come and help from nearby Charlbury.

Incident commander Kevin Jeffrey said: “The driver of the vehicle was heading out of town when he noticed that drivers coming the opposite way were signalling to him, as they could see smoke coming from his lorry.

"His actions were spot on: he quickly & safely pulled over and dismounted his vehicle just moments before a serious fire broke out.

"He immediately moved away from the fire to a place of safety and called 999. This is exactly the same action to take if you discover a fire in your property and emphasises the importance of one of our key messages: Get out, stay out, and call the Fire Service out, and do not put yourself in danger by attempting to extinguish the fire yourself."

Crews had to close the road briefly to deal with the fire shortly after 5pm on Wednesday.

Oxford Mail:

Station manager Mick Clarke, who also attended the incident, said: "The decision to close this arterial route at one of the busiest times of day was not taken lightly. An incident of this nature whilst usually short lived, requires a dynamic attack from fire crews.

"Stopping and diverting the traffic temporarily was necessary for the incident’s successful conclusion, and to keep the public and crew safe, and I would like to thank the public for their patience and understanding."