Car fire thought to have ignited moorland blaze

A moorland blaze which led to the closure of a major road linking South Yorkshire and Greater Manchester was reportedly started by a crashed car bursting into flames.

Firefighters were called to the fire next to the A628 Woodhead Pass near Flouch at about 13:30 BST on Thursday and were on the scene until about 23:00.

The key route was shut in both directions while South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (SYFRS) dealt with the blaze and remains closed for investigations.

The cause of the fire is yet to be confirmed by the fire service, however a crashed car was pictured on fire at the scene.

Five crews and specialist vehicles attended the scene, with the public asked to avoid the area on Thursday.

A SYFRS spokesperson said the fire had been extinguished, but a crew carried out an inspection at 06:00 on Friday to "tackle a few hotspots that were still smouldering".

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