Major holiday traffic delayed as motorhome catches fire on M1, north of Sydney

Holiday traffic came to a standstill on Thursday after a motorhome caught fire in the middle of a busy highway.

Holidaymakers looking to escape Sydney ahead of New Year’s Eve have been hit with traffic chaos after a campervan caught fire on a busy motorway.

Emergency services rushed to the M1 at Mt Colah, about 1km north of the Ku-ring-gai Chase Rd about 11.30am on Thursday after a fire broke out in a campervan travelling northbound.

The campervan had been towing a small red car when it caught alight, billowing thick black smoke.

A motorhome has caused traffic chaos on the M1 near Sydney after it caught fire. Picture: Nine News via NCA NewsWire

Footage of the incident shows a completely destroyed campervan after the fire ravaged the vehicle.

Two Fire and Rescue trucks and four RFS tankers found the van alight on the medium strip in the middle of the busy six-lane motorway.

Police shut down all six lanes as two people escaped the campervan unharmed.

A 60-year-old man was treated for smoke inhalation, while a small red car being towed by the van was also destroyed in the fire.

The fire spread from the cars onto the medium strip but fire crews extinguished the blaze.

Police shut down all six lanes. Picture: 7 News

Traffic was blocked in each direction for up to an hour as crews fought to contain the fire, with up to 8km of traffic banked north to Cowan.

Meanwhile, 5.5km of southbound queues were seen in the other direction.

Two of three lanes have reopened in both directions, but emergency services remain on the scene.

Northbound traffic remains heavy and is still backed up to the NorthConnex Tunnel, which is closed, with traffic being diverted to Pennant Hills Rd.

Motorists are being advised to avoid the area if possible, with heavy delays expected.

Originally published as Major holiday traffic delayed as motorhome catches fire on M1, north of Sydney