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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Jon Brady

Edinburgh city bypass locked down as huge car transporter fire halts traffic

Part of Edinburgh's city bypass has been locked down due to a car transporter fire that was dramatically captured on camera. Emergency services were called to the A720 at Gilmerton shortly before 7pm following reports of a blaze.

Two fire engines are in attendance tackling the fire, while traffic is being diverted away from the carriageway. The blaze initially closed only the eastbound carriageway but the road has since been shutin both directions by police.

A dramatic image captured by road network monitor Traffic Scotland's CCTV network showed flames pouring from the transporter as a firefighter sprayed a hose at the source.

The transporter was well-alight, destroying the vehicles onboard (Chris Hunter & Lewis Gunderson)

A fire engine is seen parked across the width of the road as the flames appear to spread into adjacent shrubs. Google Maps data suggests traffic was backed up more than a quarter of a mile.

Traffic Scotland said on Twitter: "A720 Gilmerton-Sheriffhall CLOSED in both directions due to a vehicle fire. Emergency services are at the scene."

A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "We were alerted at approximately 6.55pm this evening to a vehicle fire on the A720 Edinburgh City Bypass. We sent two appliances to the scene.

"Crews have extinguished the fire and we have left the scene. We stood down at around 8.45pm."

Traffic Scotland's network of cameras captured this dramatic image of the fire (Traffic Scotland)

The westbound carriageway has since re-opened and the fire has been extinguished.

A spokesperson for Police Scotland confirmed they were in attendance, assisting the SFRS by co-ordinating traffic management, and that no one had been injured in the incident.

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