Traffic chaos as major road shuts after Stagecoach bus catches fire

There were long delays on a key route in Trafford this morning after a bus caught fire. The blaze broke out just after 6am on the A6144 Carrington Lane in Flixton.

Pictures from the scene showed huge clouds of smoke billowing from the double-decker Stagecoach bus. Fire crews raced to the scene and used jets to douse the vehicle in water. No passengers on board and the driver managed to pull over and get to safety the company confirmed..

The road was closed in both directions from the B5158 Flixton Road to Banky Lane. The road is a key route onto the M60 motorway and many commuters reported long delays on surrounding routes as a result of the closure, which was later extended.

READ MORE: Forest Bank prisoner officer was 'love bombed' by 'pretty boy' inmate - now she's behind bars herself

Crews were at the scene for an hour and a half leading to delays lasting well into rush hour with the road re-opening just before 8:30am. However motorists said delays persisted for a while after this.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said: “Shortly after 6am this morning (Thursday 27 May), two fire engines from Sale and Stretford Community Fire Stations were called to attend a vehicle fire on Carrington Lane.

“Crews arrived quickly and used breathing apparatus and two hose reels to extinguish the fire. Firefighters worked with Greater Manchester Police to make the area safe before departing after approximately an hour and a half.”

A spokesperson for Stagecoach said: "We can confirm there was an incident involving one of our services travelling through Carrington Lane, Flixton this morning (June 27).

"Fortunately, there were no passengers onboard and our driver safely stopped the bus before