Driver escapes harm as car catches fire on busy motorway
Dramatic pictures show a car ablaze on a busy motorway near Paisley after the owners had to flee to safety.
Emergency services raced to Junction 29A on the M8 to extinguish the flames on Sunday afternoon after the vehicle caught alight on the hard shoulder.
Pictures sent to the Express show plumes of thick black smoke
Police closed the busy road shortly before 4.30pm while two fire engines worked to make the area safe.
The vehicle was completely destroyed
A driver who drove past the inferno on Sunday told the Express: “The whole car was completely ablaze, it was quite shocking to see.
“The heat that was coming from it was unbelievable.
“You could see a couple standing watching from further down the hard shoulder.
“I think it was their car.
“It must have gone up so quick.
“The fire engines weren’t there yet but I could see them racing up the M8 as I drove past.”
It’s not known what started the fire, but the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said no one was injured in the incident.
The car was left on the hard shoulder until it was safe to be uplifted later on Sunday.
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “We were alerted at 4.17pm on Sunday, April 24 to reports of a vehicle fire on the M8 Eastbound, between junctions 29 and 29A.
“Operations Control mobilised two appliances to the scene, where firefighters were met by a car which was well alight.
“Crews extinguished the fire and worked to make the area safe before leaving the scene. “There were no casualties.” Police Scotland confirmed they attended the incident.
A spokesman added: “Officers were called to attend at a vehicle fire on the M8 Eastbound, between junctions 29 and 29A on Sunday, April 24.
“Police assisted Scottish Fire and Rescue Service by making the road safe as firefighters worked to extinguished the fire.
“Traffic management remained in place for a number of hours and the road was fully reopened once the vehicle had been recovered.”