Four vehicles including a truck, trailer and a van have all been confirmed to have been involved and two people have been taken to hospital following an incident that closed the A1(M) in County Durham this morning.

Drivers travelling northbound on the A1(M) between Carrville and Chester-le-Street this morning were stuck in standstill traffic after a bin lorry fire broke out just after 9am.

The road re-opened after 1pm after being closed for several hours as police, three fire engines, the ambulance service and more attended and urged motorists to find alternative routes.

(Image: JOHN CHAPMAN) Motorists shared that they were stuck in standstill traffic from as early as 10:45am and spent up to 90 minutes waiting to get through.

Pictures also emerged of a truck on fire along the hard shoulder - but it has now been confirmed that multiple vehicles were involved and two people were taken to hospital.

A NEAS spokesperson said: "We received a call at 10.27am this morning (Friday 4 October) to reports of a road traffic incident on the A1 between junction 61 and 62 in Durham.

"We dispatched two ambulance crews, a clinical team leader, and a rapid response paramedic to the scene.

"Two patients were taken to the University Hospital of North Durham (UHND) for further treatment."

A spokesperson for Highways England said: "This was an incident involving four vehicles – one car, one HGV, one trailer and a van. Ambulance, fire, NH traffic officer, police and recovery were all at the scene.

"The northbound carriageway between junctions 61 and 62 was closed at around 10.30am but was reopened by 1.26pm. There was a bit of a clean-up operation due to debris but not much else."  

A County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson added: “We were called at 9.16am today (October 4) to a vehicle fire on the A1 northbound between Carville and Chester-le-Street.

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“Three fire engines from Durham, High Handenhold and Spennymoor fire stations attended the scene.

“Police closed both carriageways while Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus (BA) put out the fire using two hose reels."