In the United Kingdom, a stretch of the motorway was closed for more than seven hours after two lorries collided on Monday, the BBC reported. One was empty, but the other was carrying 20 tonnes of white wine. After the impact, the bottles broke, spilling the drinks across the Berkshire motorway.
The Thames Valley Police jokingly said that the scene was “not quite the roadside refreshment anyone had in mind.”
The report further mentioned that one person was injured.
“Two HGVs have collided between Junction 13 and 14, causing major disruption,” TVP’s Roads Policing team wrote on Facebook as reported by the Daily Mail. “One vehicle has had its (empty) shipping container knocked off. The second was carrying 20 tonnes of Lovello Prosecco – now spread across the carriageway, leaving significant debris and smashed glass throughout.”
“One driver is under investigation for dangerous driving, with early indications suggesting mobile phone use at the wheel.”
See the post here:
M4 shuts in Berkshire after tonnes of prosecco falls on carriageway 🍾
🧷 https://t.co/QuGjZlqncY pic.twitter.com/oKrPZnAI7D
— GHR Berkshire & North Hampshire News (@GHRBerksHants) April 27, 2026
Wine, beer and spirits cargoes pose a double risk. The glass bottles shatter on impact, and the alcohol is flammable. Unlike fuel, wine burns with a low-visibility blue flame that can spread quickly across wet surfaces. Once the fire is out, the sugary residue leaves the road slick.
According to Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, it sent crews from Newbury, Theale and Caversham Road to the scene. “No people were trapped but firefighters provided immediate emergency care to one person with minor injuries,” it said. “Firefighters were on the scene for about one hour and 10 minutes before handing over to National Highways.”
The National Highways stated that traffic officers rushed to the scene to assist with traffic management. “The trailer is on top of the nearside barrier and there is a significant amount of debris in the carriageway,” it said.