Lorry load of alcohol explodes over A9 causing blaze and shutting road for hours

A lorry load of alcohol exploded over the A9 early yesterday – closing the road for hours.

The Co-op truck went on ablaze as it was transporting its cargo north to Inverness after midnight.

The driver managed to pull in to a layby just on the outskirts of the city of Inverness, near Daviot, but it’s cargo in the trailer was destroyed.

Beer cans were reported to have been exploding all over the road.

One witness, who did not wish to be named, said: “You could smell the booze in the air.

“Everyone was taking a deep breath but it was a sad, sad sight.”

A Police Scotland spokesman said they received a call about the blaze at around 1.12am.

He added:  “The trailer was completely destroyed but there were no injuries.”

Traffic northbound was diverted west on the B851 and then the B861 into Inverness.

Four fire crews were called to the scene from Inverness and were on the scene for more than six hours.

Meanwhile, police were called at 10.30am yesterday to a crash in the Ousdale area on the A9 just north of Helmsdale.

The vehicles involved were a white Suzuki Swift and a black Volkswagen Gold. No one was injured.