Van fire tackled near Market Drayton as garage signs damaged by heat
Firefighters were called to a van fire near BJ’s Garage on the A41 at Crickmerry on Sunday evening. No injuries were reported, and the fire is believed to have been caused by a mechanical defect.
At 6pm on Sunday 13 July, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service mobilised a crew from Market Drayton to reports of a van on fire near BJ’s Garage on the A41 at Crickmerry.
While en route, firefighters observed a large plume of black smoke rising from the area. On arrival, they found a small van fully alight. Two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus quickly brought the blaze under control using high-pressure hose reel jets.
The intense heat from the fire caused blistering and warping to the external signage on a nearby building. Fire crews used thermal imaging equipment to check the building’s external walls for heat spread and carried out further cooling as a precaution.
The vehicle’s occupants had been travelling home when they experienced a loss of power and saw smoke coming from the engine. They managed to safely pull off the A41 onto the garage forecourt, where the fire took hold. Both the vehicle owners and garage staff made initial attempts to tackle the fire with extinguishers, but it quickly became too intense.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported. The fire is being treated as the result of a mechanical fault. Fire crews remained on scene for around an hour to damp down and ensure the area was safe.
BJ’s Garage remains open for business, although parking directly outside may be restricted until the vehicle is recovered.
Photos were shared with the kind permission of the vehicle owner and BJ’s Garage.
