Driver rescued after lorry smashes through barrier and plummets 60 metres off M6 Thelwall Viaduct

The driver of a HGV was rescued after the lorry smashed through a barrier and plummeted 60 metres off the Thelwall Viaduct on the M6 on Monday night (September 30).

A huge emergency services response attended the major collision, on the M6 northbound between junctions 20 and 21, shortly after 6.50pm.

The barrier over the part of the bridge had been damaged after the lorry smashed through it before falling and crashing down onto the embankment below.

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All lanes on the northbound carriageway were closed as emergency services worked at the scene. Fire crews used specialist equipment to lower themselves down 60 metres and rescue the driver from the vehicle.

Cheshire Police said the injuries sustained by the driver were not thought to be life-threatening. Officers remained at the scene for a number of hours before one lane was reopened to allow trapped motorists past the scene.

The fire service said they were also using equipment to contain around 1,000 litres of biodiesel that had leaked from the fuel tanks of the lorry.

Dramatic photos taken after the crash show how the HGV crashed through a roadside barrier and landed onto an embankment beneath the motorway.

A Cheshire Police spokesperson said: "Shortly after 6.50pm on Monday 30 September, police were called to reports of an incident on the M6 northbound at Thelwall Viaduct, between junction 20 and 21.

"Officers attended the scene and found a lorry had come off the carriageway and landed on the embankment below the bridge. The driver of the lorry is not believed to have suffered any life-threatening injuries.

"Three lanes remain closed on the northbound carriageway due to serious damage caused to the barrier. One lane will remain open with a reduced speed limit.

"These lane closures will remain in place for some time, and are expected to continue into the morning. Motorists are advised to avoid the area and find an alternative route during this time."

As a Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "Firefighters were called to reports of a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) that had left the carriageway of the M6 northbound between Junction 20 and 21, close to the Thelwall Viaduct.

"On arrival, they found that a HGV had left the carriageway and overturned on an embankment, falling approximately 60 metres. Crews used technical rescue equipment to lower themselves and reach the casualty, who was handed over to the care of attending paramedics.

"Crews have applied water to cool the HGV and are using bunding to contain a leak of approximately 1000 litres of bio-diesel from the fuel tanks of the vehicle. While the carriageway was fully closed, lanes one and two have since been re-opened by Cheshire Police and the Highways Agency."