FIRE crews rushed to a dual carriageway petrol station yesterday (Monday, December 19) when an electric car came off the carriageway and hit a fuel pump.

The Shell station on the eastbound carriageway of the A40 at Whitchurch was sealed off for more than four hours by emergency services while fire crews made the site safe.

According to posts by witnesses, the car involved in the collision was a white Tesla.

A Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue spokesperson said: “Crews from Ross, Peterchurch and Whitchurch were called yesterday at 13.37pm to a a road traffic collision at Symonds Yat Services, Whitchurch, near Ross-on-Wye, in which a vehicle was in collision with a petrol pump on the forecourt, causing heavy frontal damage.

“A water carrier was used to assist with cooling the battery pack. The slip road was closed while the incident was dealt with. Police and ambulance also attended. The incident was closed at 6pm.”

A West Mercia Police spokesperson said: “We were called to Symonds Yat Services at 1.40pm yesterday following a single vehicle collision. No arrests were made and no further action was required.”

One woman posted: “Must have gone into the pumps at a big speed, pump was demolished.”

The irony of an electric car crashing into a petrol pump also fuelled social media reaction.