The lorry which caught fire was carrying cardboard bales A lorry fire on the M4 has forced the motorway to close just outside Bath, causing queues to as far as Bristol.
Traffic is reported to be queuing with a tailback reaching about seven miles (11 km) on the eastbound carriageway between junctions 19 and 18.
The fire in the lorry, which was carrying bales of cardboard, was reported at about 1500 BST. Nobody was injured.
It is hoped one lane on the eastbound side will reopen by 2100 BST.
A spokesman for the Highways Agency said: “We have done our best to divert traffic around the incident but such complicated vehicle fires will inevitably cause long tailbacks at this time of the day.”
Both carriageways were initially closed until just before 1530 BST when the westbound side was reopened.
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