Massive pile-up kills seven, injures dozens in southwest England

[News_Editor]

Massive pile-up kills seven, injures dozens in southwest England

2011-11-06 03:47:08 GMT+7 (ICT)

SOMERSET, ENGLAND (BNO NEWS) -- At least seven people were killed on late Friday evening and dozens more have been injured in a massive pile-up on a motorway in southwest England, police said on Saturday.

The accident involving a total of 34 vehicles happened at around 8.25 p.m. local time on Friday on the M5 motorway in Somerset, a county in southwest England which borders Bristol to the north. Six trucks were among the vehicles involved.

"This is a horrific scene," Assistant Chief Constable Anthony Bangham from Avon and Somerset Police said during a news conference on Saturday afternoon. "I can confirm that it is a multi-vehicle collision which we declared as a major incident following the events yesterday evening."

The horrific crash caused a huge fire at the scene, and some witnesses reported hearing what sounded like explosions. "Many [of the vehicles] are burnt, and burnt literally to the ground," Bangham said.

As of Saturday evening, at least seven people were confirmed to have been killed while 51 others have been injured. All of the victims who needed to be hospitalized were taken to Yeovil District Hospital and Musgrove Park while nine were treated at a temporary holding unit set up by the ambulance service.

"We fear that [the number of fatalities] will rise as the day continues and we carry out an extensive search of vehicles and the carriageway at the scene," Bangham said. "Our thoughts at this time are very much with the family of anybody who lost their lives and we'll be working very closely in support of those families."

It was not immediately known what may have caused the accident, which took place in the dark amid rainy and foggy conditions with fireworks going off nearby. "All vehicles will need to be removed from the scene for forensic examination and this of course takes time," Bangham said.

Police said a part of the M5 will remain closed until at least Sunday morning, although it may take longer. "Once the carriageway is clear a large operation will take place to repair the road surface and clear fuel spillages," Bangham explained.

Friday's pile-up is the deadliest road accident in Britain since July 2003 when seven people were killed in a collision on the M56 involving a minibus and a car. In November 1993, twelve children were killed in a crash on the M40.

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