A1M crash update: Road won’t reopen until 5am on Thursday

The A1(M) will remain closed overnight, police have revealed.

It has been shut both ways since 8.12am this morning after a tanker overturned and crashed into the central reservation at South Milford.

The driver was freed from the vehicle by firefighters and taken to hospital. The tanker split open and spilled the contents of its load across the carriageway.

Tonight, North Yorkshire Police said: “The A1(M) at South Milford is expected to remain closed in both directions until around 5am on Thursday (2 February) to allow for the safe recovery of the spillage and the vehicle.

“Please avoid the area and follow the diversions. Thank you for your patience.”

These pictures from Group Manager Bob Hoskins of North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service show what the clear up team are facing.

He told YorkMix Radio: “It’s a tanker carrying a load of powder. Unfortunately, the tank has become ruptured, and to recover the powder from the the tanker is quite a complex job as very few firms have the equipment to carry out this particular process.

“Sourcing that equipment and getting it to the scene today has been quite a complex task in itself.”

The equipment is now at the scene and working.

There were reports that the spilled substance were potentially hazardous. Bob said: “There’s a risk assessment in place at the scene at the moment.

“So there is no immediate danger to the public or anyone at the scene. However, some generic precautions have been taken just to ensure that there aren’t any complications as the incident progresses.”