The A12 was closed after a vehicle containing 10,000 litres of oil caught fire.
Firefighters were called to an Oil Tanker on fire on the A12 northbound between junction 17 for Howe Green and junction 18 for Sandon.
One lane was closed on the northbound carriageway due to the fire just after junction 17.
Crews from Maldon, South Woodham Ferrers, Chelmsford, Southend and Braintree attended the scene due to the hazardous contents of the vehicle.
Upon arrival crews reported that the fire was contained to the wheel of the vehicle, the contents were not affected.
They quickly extinguished the fire.
Group Manager Simon Dedman, said "This incident could have had a huge impact on the environment and would have also closed the A12 for the rest of the day if the whole vehicle had caught alight.
"But it's thanks to the actions of the first firefighters on scene from Chelmsford Fire Station that this didn't happen and the fire was brought under control so quickly.
"It is without doubt that their prompt actions prevented the fire from spreading to the rest of the vehicle, and instead of the road being closed for 12 hours+, it was only a few hours."
UPDATE - A12 northbound – one lane closed at J17 (A130/Howe Green) after a lorry fire. The Londonbound carriageway had been reopened. Northbound queues remain back to J15 (Three Mile Hill) and Londonbound queues back to J19 (Boreham). pic.twitter.com/4wX3UiLizO
— Essex Travel News (@Essex_Travel) December 8, 2020
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