The E17 towards Antwerp has been completely blocked near Lokeren after a lorry caught fire there on Thursday evening, and the disruption is expected to last for several more hours.
Shortly before 7 p.m., the driver lost control of the vehicle after a tyre blowout on the E17 near Zele, just before the Lokeren slip roads. The lorry crashed into the central concrete barrier and burst into flames. The fuel tank split open, leaving an oil trail across the full width of the motorway, which also caught fire. The driver was unhurt.
Although the fire has been extinguished, the traffic disruption remains severe. Vehicles that were behind the lorry and had already passed the Beervelde exit became trapped on the motorway.
The tailback stretched for about four kilometres, with cars and lorries spread across all three lanes. Under police escort, the stranded vehicles were being guided towards the Beervelde exit.
At around 10 p.m., that evacuation was still under way, with roughly two kilometres of vehicles still waiting to leave the motorway.
It was not immediately clear how long the disruption would continue. The burnt-out lorry still had to be removed, along with its load of melons, which ended up scattered across the carriageway.
After that, technicians from the roads agency will need to assess the damage to the road surface. Peter Bruyninckx, spokesperson for the Flemish Traffic Centre, said there was currently no forecast, but reports from the scene suggested that the disruption would be prolonged.
It is therefore unclear whether the motorway would reopen before Friday morning.
Drivers travelling on the E17 from Ghent towards Antwerp have had to leave the motorway at Beervelde, where delays of about 10 minutes are being reported.
The Flemish Traffic Centre is advising motorists to avoid the area altogether and use the E34 between Ghent and Antwerp instead. Traffic travelling from west to east is advised to take the E40 via Brussels.
