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A LORRY exploded into a fireball in a high-speed horror smash on a motorway hard shoulder - and miraculously everyone escaped with just minor injuries.

Dramatic footage shows the enormous vehicle hurtle into a recovery truck that had a van loaded on the back.

The lorry can be seen in the distance moments before the potentially-fatal collision
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The lorry can be seen in the distance moments before the potentially-fatal collision
The large vehicle, which was carrying coffee beans, burst into flames almost on impact
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The large vehicle, which was carrying coffee beans, burst into flames almost on impact
A black cloud of smoke billowed from the hard shoulder of the M180 after the horror smash
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A black cloud of smoke billowed from the hard shoulder of the M180 after the horror smash

The motorway was closed for more than 13 hours after the smash two miles east of junction four on the M180 near Scawby, Lincs, at around 12.25pm yesterday.

The driver of the lorry, which was carrying coffee beans,  escaped with just a cut to his head and a van driver also escaped without being seriously harmed.

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Dashcam footage filmed by Jacob Halliday, 27, of Selby, North Yorks, shows the lorry smash into the two vehicles before exploding into a raging inferno.

The HGV driver said he saw a man desperately leap over the barrier on the edge of the motorway after spotting the lorry heading in the direction of the two vehicles before colliding with them.

A man is said to have hopped over a barrier to avoid the collision moments before impact
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A man is said to have hopped over a barrier to avoid the collision moments before impact
The driver had to be pulled from the the crushed lorry but only suffered minor injuries
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The driver had to be pulled from the the crushed lorry but only suffered minor injuries

The dramatic video has already attracted more than 105,000 views online.

Jacob said: "I was just driving down the eastbound carriageway when I saw a guy jump over a fence and then it was almost in slow motion as I saw this 44-tonne lorry head towards the hard shoulder.

"They had just recovered the van by the look of it and the lorry slammed into them and burst into flames.

"It was a good job I had the dash cam because you never expect to see anything like that.

"I have certainly never seen anything like it in my time on the roads."

Part of the M180 had to be cut off for 13 hours after the dramatic crash yesterday afternoon
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Part of the M180 had to be cut off for 13 hours after the dramatic crash yesterday afternoon

Jacob stopped to assist the recovery and said the driver of the lorry had to be pulled from the crushed lorry cab.

Humberside Police have confirmed he escaped with just a cut to the head.

Jacob added: "I pulled up my fuel tanker about 200 yards away and got the dash cam footage from the camera and put in on to my phone in case the police wanted it.

"I saw them cut the driver free from the vehicle but the driver just had a cut to the head.

"I couldn't believe that he escaped with just a cut especially when you see the state of the lorry."

The inferno raged by the side of the motorway as terrified motorists feared the worst
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 The inferno raged by the side of the motorway as terrified motorists feared the worst

Humberside Police initially closed both carriageways before reopened the road at 1.40am this morning following a mammoth clean-up operation.

A Humberside Police spokeswoman said: "Officers were called at around 12.25pm yesterday following reports of a collision between a lorry carrying coffee, a recovery vehicle and a white Ford Transit van on the westbound M180.

"The incident happened two miles prior to the junction four sliproad and resulted in the lorry cab catching fire.

"Both the westbound and eastbound carriageways were closed as a result of the collision and fire and ambulance crews also attended.

"The driver of the lorry and driver of the recovery vehicle both suffered minor injuries."

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