A car has burst into flames on the Edinburgh City Bypass during Thursday morning rush hour, causing significant delays for commuters.
Emergency services were called to the westbound carriageway of the A720 near Straiton just before 7 am on January 9, after receiving reports of a vehicle “well alight.”
Two fire appliances, one from Liberton and one from Dalkeith, responded to the incident. Firefighters used hose reels and breathing apparatus to tackle the blaze, which led to the closure of the westbound bypass, reports EdinburghLive.
Fortunately, there are no reports of injuries. Traffic cameras captured smoke billowing into the early morning darkness as multiple emergency service vehicles worked at the scene.
One passing motorist reported the situation to Traffic Scotland, saying: “There is a car on fire on the A720 westbound just west of the Straiton junction. Fire engines are in attendance, and both lanes are currently blocked.”
Traffic Scotland issued a warning at 7:19 am, stating: “#A720 – Lothianburn: The westbound carriageway is CLOSED due to a police incident. Delays are approximately 19 minutes.”
A spokesperson for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service ( SFRS) said: “We received a call at 6:44 am reporting a vehicle well alight on the Edinburgh City Bypass westbound between Straiton and Lothianburn. Crews from Liberton and Dalkeith are in attendance, using hose reels and breathing apparatus to extinguish the fire. There are no reported injuries.”
Police Scotland also confirmed the incident, with a spokesperson adding: “The A720 Edinburgh City Bypass is closed westbound at the Straiton junction following a vehicle fire, reported to police around 6:50 am on Thursday, January 9. Road users are advised to avoid the area. There are no reported injuries.”
Commuters are advised to seek alternative routes as delays persist.
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