Emergency services on scene of M8 truck fire near Fermoy

The scene on the M8 this afternoon. Picture: Cork Safety Alert/Twitter

Emergency services are on the scene after a truck caught fire on a busy Cork road this afternoon.

The incident occurred on the M8 northbound at J15 Fermoy South.

Gardaí and emergency services are currently at the scene. No injuries have been reported. 

The driver of the vehicle managed to get out safely before emergency services arrived.

Cork County Fire Service said the fire has been extinguished but there is still some work to be done on the scene. 

#CorkTraffic Truck on fire on the M8, northbound, take care as smoke may impede visibility as a result. Delays forming. Emergency service are on scene. pic.twitter.com/4QMQwfdaJB

— Cork Safety Alerts (@CorkSafetyAlert) November 10, 2020

 

The truck, which appears to have been filled with meat, will need to be removed by crane while diggers will be required to remove the other materials.

Due to the location of the incident, there may be a need for a structural assessment of the bridge to be carried out but this has not been determined yet.

Both sides of the motorway are currently blocked with traffic being diverted at the off-ramps and the road is not expected to reopen for a number of hours.

On the M8 just after the Fermoy exit! @CorkSafetyAlert
@fiona96fmnews@CorkTruckDriver @KENNYTCORK pic.twitter.com/MkkL6CjejZ

— TheBaldingSparrow (@BaldingSparrow) November 10, 2020

Motorists are advised to take extra care on the stretch of road as smoke may still affect visibility.

Dramatic images and videos appeared on social media at lunchtime showing the truck on fire with thick, black smoke billowing up into the sky.