This is the moment a highway erupted in fireworks after a lorry carrying pyrotechnics crashed and caught fire.

Footage filmed by witnesses shows the dramatic scene as hundreds of fireworks ignited, shooting into the sky and lighting up the road while traffic in both directions came to an abrupt standstill.

The incident occurred on the Lulong section of the Beijing-Harbin Expressway in China on December 23.

Vehicles screeched to a halt as drivers scrambled for safety, forming a queue that stretched for miles.

Some stood in groups pointing at the fiery display, while one onlooker perched on their car bonnet, calmly enjoying the 'fireworks show'.

Authorities say the explosion followed a collision between the fireworks-laden lorry and another vehicle, igniting its volatile cargo.

Miraculously, no casualties were reported, with the lorry driver escaping in time to alert others to the danger.

Some eyewitnesses said the driver then calmly lit a cigarette while looking at the fireworks-filled sky.

He reportedly said to those standing near him: 'I've been in freight transport for so many years, and this is by far the most extravagant experience I've had.

'Others spend hundreds of thousands on fireworks displays, but with this truckload of fireworks, I set it all off without spending a dime.

'Although it pains me, I guess you could call it a kind of 'miraculous accident'.'

As the New Year approaches, officials have urged the public to prioritise safety and follow regulations during the festive season.