A PASSENGER was lucky to escape with minor injuries after being cut free from a car in a crash with a 38-tonne lorry.

The lorry overturned, causing major traffic chaos around Gravesend.

It took 12 hours to right the articulated vehicle after the accident at the busy Vale Road, Thames Way junction traffic lights.

The incident closed Thames Way as recovery crews battled to right the damaged cab, spewing litres of fuel across the road

Thameside firefighters were called to the scene at 10pm on Sunday, March 28.

A spokesman for the Coldharbour Road station said: "A heavy goods vehicle and a car had been involved in an accident and one person was trapped.

"We had to cut them out using hydraulic equipment, and they were then transferred by ambulance to Darent Valley Hospital.

"There was also 300 litres of fuel on the road and we had two appliances in attendance."

Thames Way was still closed on Monday morning. People trying to get into the town centre faced long delays while recovery trucks tried to move the lorry.

Mike Gibson from D&G Recovery had the job of righting the lorry. He said: "It was a severe recovery and we had to roll the lorry onto its side and then into an upright position.

"We had to be really careful because it was full of food and there was fuel and battery acid on the floor.

"We had to use three heavy recovery trucks and large air bags to move the lorry.

"It took six men 12 hours to get the lorry back in an upright position."