TWO firefighters from the fire training centre in Stevenage were taken to hospital this afternoon after their vehicle was in a collision on the A1 (M).Police say the the A1 (M) northbound remains closed north of juncion 6 at

TWO firefighters from the fire training centre in Stevenage were taken to hospital this afternoon after their vehicle was in a collision on the A1 (M).

Police say the the A1 (M) northbound remains closed north of juncion 6 at Welwyn.

The motorway was was blocked at 12.25pm when a lorry struck the fire engine that was on a driving training exercise from the Longfield Training Centre in Stevenage.

Two firefighters were taken to Lister Hospital with minor injuries but a third officer on board, an instructor, was unhurt.

The driver of the lorry suffered serious chest and l;eg injuries injuries and was also taken to Lister Hospital after being cut free from his cab by firefighters.

The driver of a Mercedes estate car also involved in the collision suffered minor injuries.

This was the second crash to happen on the northbound carriageway in less than an hour.

The first accident also happened between junction 6 at Welwyn and junction 7 Stevenage when an MG car struck the central reservation shortly after midday blocking one of the two lanes. The woman driver was uninjured.

With the northbound carriageway of the A1 (M) closed north of junction 6 police are urging motorists to avoid the area although diversions are in place while the wreckage of the vehicles is being cleared and an investgation into both incidents is carried out..