THOUSANDS of North-East motorists were caught up in traffic chaos yesterday when a huge fire forced the closure of major trunk routes through the region for several hours.

Tailbacks stretched for several miles and many areas were gridlocked after police blocked off the A1(M) at its junction with the A194(M) in Tyne and Wear and put a number of diversions into effect.

It had initially been feared that the closure - made as a precautionary measure after unstable gas cylinders threatened to explode - would have had to remain in place for up to 24 hours.

The drama began when a fire broke out at Dales Fabrications, on the Crowther Industrial Estate, Washington, at noon.

Surrounding factories were evacuated and a 200m cordon thrown up by emergency services.

Tyne and Wear Fire Brigade Divisional Officer Ian Robertson said last night that oxyacetylene cylinders, which can explode without warning in a fire, had been a cause for concern.

He said firefighters were following nationally-agreed guidelines in closing off the area.

The A1(M) was closed in both directions for several hours, as well as the A194(M).

Last night, the A194(M) remained closed from junction 65 to the Washington Highway.

An AA spokesman said: "The closures couldn't have happened at a worse time and in a worse place.

"Normally, the A194 is used as a diversion if there is an accident on the A1, but this was closed as well.

"And it happened at the junction of two major routes, which made it even more difficult to divert traffic.

"Added to that it happened during rush hour. And to compound matters even further, many people were leaving the office early to avoid traffic going to the Niall Quinn charity game.

"That added even more traffic to the roads.

"It has been bumper to bumper on many routes and the A194(M) was affected as far back as the Tyne Tunnel."

Firefighters were last night keeping a close eye on the fire site.

* Police have confirmed the identities of two men killed in an horrific accident on the A1 on Monday night.

Abdul Quddus, 28, of Shipley, West Yorkshire, died at the wheel of a red Vauxhall Vectra which smashed into the back of a lorry parked in a layby between Catterick and Leeming, North Yorkshire, just before midnight.

His passenger, 18-year-old Foysal Ahmed, of the same address, was also pronounced dead at the scene