February 3, 2024 6.30 pm

A sign of safety: recalling the day Lincoln nearly faced catastrophe

It’s not just any old road sign; it’s a relic of a dramatic day in the city’s history that could have ended in disaster
There is an interesting story behind this sign on Lindum Hill in Lincoln. | Photo: Steve Smailes

Lincoln’s Lindum Hill is home to a peculiar road sign that reads ‘no inflammables or explosives’, a stark reminder of a day when the city skirted disaster. This sign, featuring an icon of a car engulfed in flames within a red circle, has its origins in a dramatic event from 57 years ago

Back on a sunny day on July 6, 1967, a petrol tanker faced every driver’s nightmare – brake failure. As it hurtled down Lindum Hill, the tanker lost control, flipped over at the bottom near the old Sessions House, and unleashed a river of fuel into the drains and along Broadgate. The city held its breath, teetering on the brink of a potential explosion.

Read the full story on MyLocal, the new home of The Lincolnite