Lorry spills fuel onto forecourt after rupturing tank at Stop 24 Services in Hythe
Published: 19:13, 10 April 2022
Updated: 14:30, 11 April 2022
Firefighters have spent hours at a service station after a lorry ruptured its tank, spilling fuel onto a forecourt after hitting a high concrete kerb.
Firefighters were called to reports of a lorry crash and fuel leak at the Stop 24 Services at the Stanford Intersection, Hythe, at around 10.27am.
The stop is just off Junction 11 of the M20 where lorries are being held as part of Operation Brock.
It was reported that the lorry went over a high concrete kerb when leaving the Shell garage, rupturing the fuel tank.
A fire engine was sent to the scene, and crews helped stem the flow of fuel to make the area safe.
Firefighters were seen still cleaning up at around 3pm today, with the site being fully cleared at 4.51pm.
A witness said there were large amounts of fuel on the forecourt and the closure of the garage heavily impacted the lorry park behind.
No casualties were reported.
It was just another headache after days of traffic chaos in the area.
Lorries stuck in 25-hour queues to cross the Channel are each losing hundreds of pounds as their products go bad en-route to Europe, it has been claimed.
Thousands of hauliers are enduring lengthy waits as they head to Dover, and are made to join Operation Brock's 20-mile line of trucks between Junctions 8 and 11 of the M20.
And earlier today, P&O Ferries announced services from Dover to Calais will remain suspended until Good Friday.
But there was a glimmer of good news this afternoon as Dover TAP was deactivated.
The scheme on the A20 at Aycliffe is often brought in when there is a risk of congestion in Dover town centre because of high volumes of lorries looking to cross the Channel into Europe.
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Cara Simmonds