Iceland volcano: Shocking footage shows work crew waiting until the last minute to leave as lava flows close by

Icelandic work crews were seen running away with only minutes to spare as a huge flaming lava flow followed, consuming the road in its path after a volcanic eruption.

The Syringfell volcano near Grindavik erupted at 6am this morning, sending lava into the air northeast of Mount Sundhnukur, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said.

This is the volcano’s third eruption in recent months, with the last one destroying homes in the nearby town of Grindavik in January.

The extraordinary footage capturing the aftermath of today’s explosion shows a work crew driving – what appears to be an excavator – as a huge mass of fiery lava follows suit.

The shocking clip also shows a car parked on the road – directly in the lava path.

Eventually, a car that was in the lava’s path and the work crew quickly flee, followed by clouds of black thick smoke billowing from the lava.

These were the consequences after a volcanic eruption in southwestern Iceland that broke out on Thursday

As they get unnervingly close, both the car and the work crew eventually make a U-turn with a cloud of thick black smoke billowing from the lava near their tails.

Earlier today, tourists were evacuated from the famous Blue Lagoon spa before post-eruption lava flooded a nearby road.

The spa, one of the country’s biggest attractions and located 4.4 kilometers from Grindavik, was closed when the eruption began.

According to Icelandic national broadcaster RUV, guests from the spa were evacuated to hotels.

The Met Office said the lava was flowing westwards and there was no immediate threat to the town of Grindavik, which was apparently evacuated due to an eruption late last year.

According to The Met Office, the lava does not pose a threat to any major power stations in the area.

The Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) said: ‘Intense small earthquake activity began northeast of Sylingarfell at 4:30 this morning. About 30 minutes later, an eruption began in the same area.”

They stated that the gorge was about two miles long, according to an initial Coast Guard flyover assessment.

Civil defense officials said there were no civilians in Grindavik at the time of the eruption this morning.

After the eruption, one of Iceland’s biggest attractions – the Blue Lagoon thermal spa – was evacuated (photo: in front of the lava there is a sign directing drivers to the Blue Lagoon spa in Iceland)

Guests were evacuated to hotels after lava flooded a nearby road (photo, file photo)

“That was not the intention, and we don’t know anything about it,” Víðir Reynisson, head of Iceland’s Civil Defense, told RUV.

This is the third eruption since December, when a volcanic system erupted on the Reykjanes Peninsula, home to Keflavik, Iceland’s main airport.

No disruption was reported at the airport on Thursday.

Iceland lies on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a crack in the ocean floor that separates the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates.

The country averages one eruption every four to five years, but the Reykjanes Peninsula has not had an eruption in eight centuries.

New eruptions occurred in August 2022 and July and December 2023, leading volcanologists to say this was likely the start of a new era of activity in the region.

With new eruptions expected in the area in August 2022, July and December, volcanologists believe this is likely a new era of activity in the region.

The eruption started around 6 a.m. and sent lava into the air along a 3-kilometer-long rift northeast of Mount Sundhnukur, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said.

The Svartsengi volcanic system near Grindavik had not experienced an eruption in 800 years

Since three eruptions have prevented residents from returning to Grindavik for months (photo: houses in Grindavik, Iceland, January 14, 2024)

With a population of 3,800, Grindavik was first evacuated in November when the Svartsengi volcanic system ignited for the first time in 800 years following a series of earthquakes.

The volcano finally erupted on December 18, releasing lava from Grindavik. A second eruption that began on January 14 sent lava towards the city.

Although the defensive walls had been strengthened since the first eruption, not all the lava flow could be stopped, resulting in the destruction of some of the city’s buildings.

When the second eruption occurred, cracks opened, with the second on the outskirts of the city spewing hot orange lava onto the streets and destroying houses.

Due to the recent volcanic eruptions, the future of Grindavik is shrouded in uncertainty, with residents still unable to return home.