An exploding crane and a tunnel closure have caused chaos on two major motorways, leaving motorists stuck in traffic for up to five hours. About 35 firefighters were called to tackle a blaze on the London-bound carriageway of the M40 in Buckinghamshire, after the 96-tonne crane burst into flames on Wednesday night. And in Kent, motorists approaching the Dartford Crossing queued for up to five hours after one of the two tunnels was closed overnight. A specialist lifting team has removed the crane from the motorway, but one lane remains closed heading towards the capital while debris is cleared. Some took to social media to vent their frustrations:— Richie Moore (@avingalarff) 5 chuffing hours I was stuck 2 miles from Dartford Tunnel— Richie Moore (@avingalarff) Got to love sitting in traffic at midnight with engine off trying to get through the Dartford Tunnel 👍And another driver, Marc Tuohey, wrote: “Highways England please do something with the Dartford tunnel.

Source: The Guardian September 22, 2016 08:37 UTC