M25 Chaos: Multi-Car Smash and Vehicle Blaze Bring Motorway to a Standstill
Multi-Car Crash Sparks Massive Delays at Junction 11
Motorists were left fuming as a major multi-car crash hit the M25 anticlockwise just past Junction 11 (A320 St Peters Way) towards Chertsey around 1pm.
- Lanes 3 and 4 shut immediately, causing gridlock back to Junction 13 for Staines.
- Delays peaked at 45 minutes as traffic crawled through.
- The clockwise side wasn’t spared either — rubberneckers caused jams all the way back to Junction 10 (A3 Wisley Interchange).
Although lanes reopened by 4:30pm, crawling traffic continued for over an hour afterward.
Vehicle Fire Adds to Motorway Mayhem Between Junctions 6 and 7
As drivers grappled with crash chaos, a vehicle fire broke out on the anticlockwise stretch between Junction 7 (M23 Interchange) and Junction 6 (A22 Godstone).
- Firefighters closed lanes 1, 2, and 3 to tackle thick smoke and flames.
- Traffic backed up to Junction 8 for Reigate, causing up to 60-minute delays.
- Witnesses shared dramatic shots of smoke billowing over the motorway.
By 4pm the blaze was extinguished and lanes reopened. But National Highways warned that tailbacks would linger.
Emergency Services Battle Through Hours of Motorway Mayhem
Despite swift action from fire, police, and recovery crews, traffic disaster lingered well into the evening.
- Severe delays continued around the vehicle fire site until 5:30pm.
- By 7:30pm, traffic finally eased and the M25 returned to normal flow.
Frustrated Drivers Speak Out
“I was stuck for nearly two hours. I could see smoke from the car fire, and the crash looked really bad. It was gridlock.” — commuter Sarah Lawson
National Highways thanked drivers for their patience, saying:
“Multiple incidents caused unavoidable delays, but safety remains our top priority.”
