A chemical spill on the M25 near the Bellcommon Tunnel has forced a road closure until this afternoon.UPDATE: One lane is now closed between junctions 26 and 27 with congestion back to junction 24.
The clockwise carriageway was closed between junctions 26 and 27 after police responded to reports that several containers had fallen off the back of a lorry.
The vehicle is alleged to have collided with the central reservation on the clockwise carriageway near Theydon Bois and just before the lane split onto the dedicated M11 onslip.
Officers arrived and found around 3,000 litres of a chemical liquid on the road before closing it for safety reasons.
A 43-year-old man from Bulgaria has been arrested on suspicion of committing motoring offences and is currently being questioned at Harlow police station.
Police expect the carriageway to remain closed until lunchtime as it will take several hours for the liquid to be cleared and for an inspection of the road surface to be completed.
Motorists are advised to find alternative routes in order to reach their destination on time. The carriageway closure is between Junctions 26-27.
