M25 traffic news on Thursday saw hundreds of people evacuated from the Dartford Tunnel after a fire broke out at around 4pm. Traffic slowed to a stop inside the 0.8-mile-long tunnel, and people left their vehicles before walking to the other end.
The evacuation came after what one family described as a frightening journey through the tunnel. The woman said around 50 cars were stuck and a couple of hundred people were affected, while the family was separated from its car for 60 to 90 minutes.
Dartford Tunnel at 4pm
The family entered the tunnel at about 4pm, just before traffic stopped. Their account places the disruption in rush hour, when queues can build quickly at the Dartford Crossing and hold traffic far beyond the tunnel itself.
People were moved out on foot, which meant the evacuation had to clear the tunnel before vehicles could move again. That left drivers and passengers waiting in place while the route was checked and reopened.
Kent Fire and Rescue Service
Kent Fire and Rescue Service said it was called after reports of a van alight on the Dartford Crossing. Five fire engines attended the incident, and the service said a van was found to be heavily smoking due to an engine fault.
That account adds a wrinkle to the family’s description of a vehicle fire. Their version places a fire at the centre of the disruption, while the fire service description points to heavy smoke and an engine fault in the van that triggered the response.
Traffic held until 6.30pm
Traffic was held until around 6.30pm, but delays did not end there. Long queues persisted for several hours after the tunnel reopened, leaving drivers facing the knock-on effect of a closure that began in the middle of the afternoon.
The family later drove to Lakeside in Essex that evening for a birthday celebration, after being kept away from their car for most of the incident. The practical lesson for anyone caught in the same kind of shutdown is simple: once traffic stops inside the Dartford Tunnel, the delay can last well beyond the reopening itself.
