Police hunt driver after van crashes into bridge
A VAN crashed into a bridge over a canal and burst into flames.
Police were called to the bridge over the Grand Union Canal between Theddingworth and Foxton, near Market Harborough, at just after midnight on Saturday.
They found the vehicle on fire when they arrived, but no driver at the scene.
Firefighters arrived and put out the flames.
Large sections of the bridge fell into the canal due to the force of the impact.
The Canal and River Trust has closed the road over the bridge – Bunkers Hill Road – and the section of canal running under it, while they repair the bridge.
The trust said it was the second time in 18 months a vehicle had crashed into the bridge. Police are trying to trace the van driver.
A police spokesman said: “Shortly after midnight on Saturday (April 3) police received a report of a van on fire in Bunkers Hill Road, Lubenham.
“Officers attended and found the van was alight and had collided with a bridge. The driver had left the scene.”
The Canal and River Trust said it had closed the section of canal which runs under the bridge and the road over it, while it assesses the damage.
A trust spokesman said: “At this stage we don’t know exactly how long it will take but we’re working as quickly as possible to carry out the repairs and reopen the road.
“Almost two thirds of the southern parapet have been knocked into the canal and we’ve temporarily stopped navigation on that section so that we can recover the debris.
“We hope to be able to reuse as much of the debris as possible.
“We’d urge drivers to please slow down and take care when passing over historic bridges like this one.
“Canal bridges like this are such an important part of the area’s history and character and it’s a real shame to see them damaged in this way. If drivers just slowed down a bit when approaching historic bridges like this we can make sure that they’re protected for everyone to enjoy.”
A fire service spokeswoman said: “We were called by a passer-by who saw a van had crashed into a bridge over the canal. We put out the flames and made the vehicle safe.”
Fire crews from Market Harborough and Kibworth attended.