Vehicles mount pavement to avoid cones put in place for road closure

In one incident, a van was driven just feet away from a woman pushing a pram along the pavement in Leeds Road, Bradford.

A section of the major road is currently shut following a huge shop fire yesterday lunchtime.

The van is only feet away from the woman (Image: Newsquest)

Moments after the van incident, a BMW, travelling in the opposite direction, can be seen rounding the cones.

When the Telegraph & Argus visited the scene, several cars were following suit.

A few men could also be seen boarding up the shop's windows.

The BMW driving around cones put in place for the road closure (Image: Newsquest) It comes after Heaton Motor Factors was deemed "too dangerous" for firefighters to enter.

Crews from across West Yorkshire scrambled to Leeds Road just after 12pm on Wednesday.

Another car avoids the cones (Image: Newsquest) Both floors of the auto parts store Heaton Motor Factors were involved in the fire.

Emergency services were heard telling the public to "get back" amid the dangerous scenes.

A van mounting the pavement close to where a woman was pushing a pram (Image: T&A)

West Yorkshire Police shut a large section of Leeds Road and urged drivers to avoid the area for much of Wednesday afternoon.

That area of the road - between Bradford Lane and Thornbury Road - remained closed on Thursday.

Windows are getting boarded up on the shop (Image: Newsquest) It added that the road has remained shut while contractors "clear debris and ensure the premises is structurally safe".

Bus services continue to be affected with both the 72 and X6, which connect Bradford to Leeds, suffering diversions.

Barriers surround the shop (Image: Newsquest) The Council have confirmed it will reopen "once it has been assessed as safe to do so".

Barriers now surround the burnt-out Heaton Motor Factors.

At 10am, a spokesperson for the West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service told the T&A: "The fire is still under investigation as the premise was too dangerous to enter yesterday."

Firefighters trying to bring the blaze under control on Wednesday (Image: Newsquest)

A spokesperson for Bradford Council said: "A section of Leeds Road was closed between Bradford Lane and Thornbury Road to allow WYFRS to bring the fire under control and prevent risk to the public. 

"The road remains closed while contractors clear debris and ensure the premises is structurally safe.

"It will be reopened once it has been assessed as safe to do so.”