'More than 10' dead in M5 crash, Southwest England

[busybeeburns]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpnIw_oi4KA]Massive M5 26-vehicle crash (Friday 4th November 2011) - YouTube[/ame]

 

'More than 10' dead in M5 crash

 

It is feared more than 10 people have died in a 27-vehicle crash on the M5 near Taunton, Somerset.

 

More than 40 people were injured in the crash, near junction 25 northbound at about 20:30 GMT on Friday, which police said led to a "massive fireball".

 

The cause of the crash is not yet clear but there had been heavy rain in the area earlier and there was patchy fog.

 

Avon and Somerset Police have released a helpline number for people concerned about relatives: 0800 092 0410. The Highways Agency said the stretch of motorway between junctions 24 and 25 was not expected to reopen until 21:00 on Saturday evening.

 

On Friday night, drivers reported delays of up to five-and-a-half hours and motorists have been urged to avoid the area altogether. Musgrove Park Hospital, in Taunton, said it was treating 16 casualties who had suffered "a range of trauma injuries", including broken bones and chest, abdominal and lung injuries.

 

Colin Close, the medical director at the hospital, said none of the casualties were in a critical condition and all were stable."I think it's fair to say we've never seen anything like this in this hospital before," he said.

 

A specialist surgeon from the Royal Devon and Exeter hospital was drafted in to help deal with the injured at the Taunton hospital.

 

Yeovil District Hospital said it dealt with 26 "walking wounded" and had discharged 24 of them by Saturday morning.

 

A man and a boy remain in the hospital but their conditions are not thought to be life-threatening.

 

"It was a very busy night for us and our staff did really well," said a spokesman.

 

Assistant Chief Constable Anthony Bangham, of Avon and Somerset Police, said "several people" had died but he could not yet be specific about numbers.

 

He said: "The incident was very, very challenging and on arrival crews were faced with literally one massive fireball.

 

"Most vehicles were well alight and most continued to burn for a considerable time. This made it very difficult to search the vehicles. Some of them have been burned to the ground."

 

Emergency crews said they believed the weather may have been a contributory factor in the crash, with witnesses describing having seen thick fog at the time.

 

Paul Slaven, of Devon and Somerset Fire Service, said crews were "damping down" at the scene of the crash, which he said was "the worst road traffic collision anyone can remember".

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-15603124

[Jenjie]

:cry: horrific

 

my heart goes out to everyone dealing with the aftermath - family, friends, emergency services, insurance advisers etc.

[Black Rose]

R.I.P. to the departed. :cry:

 

Very nasty accident

 

[NumbersGirl]

So sad. :disappointed:

 

Isn't that the same road that had the really bad accident that Nettie died in a few years ago?

[chuck kottke]

:shocked2::( Oh my, that is a massively tragic scene, my heart goes out to all those involved. I hope those who were injured are comforted, and the families who lost loved ones have the comfort of friends and family.

[nancyk58]

^ The above posts express my feelings so well.

 

R.I.P. to those who died. Really terrible accident. :cry:

[Jenjie]

M5 crash police find no more bodies

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-15610140

[Black Rose]

So sad. :disappointed:

 

Isn't that the same road that had the really bad accident that Nettie died in a few years ago?

 

Yes it is :(

[busybeeburns]

M5 crash: Firework display is 'major line of inquiry'

 

Police probing the M5 crash which killed seven people have said a firework display next to the road is the "major line of inquiry". Avon and Somerset Police Assistant Chief Constable Anthony Bangham said his focus was the Friday night event.

 

He said "a bank of smoke" was across the M5 at the time of the crash. The northbound carriageway and two lanes opposite reopened on Sunday evening, leaving only the southbound outside lane still closed. The 34-vehicle pile-up happened at junction 25, near Taunton, at about 20:30 GMT on Friday. Some 51 people were injured in the pile-up, which happened on the northbound carriageway. The motorway closed between junctions 24 and 25 after the crash.

 

Mr Bangham said people who attended the fireworks display, which was staged by Taunton Rugby Club, would be interviewed by officers.

 

"Our main line of inquiry has now moved towards the event that was on the side of the carriageway," he said. "We do believe that whilst there was fog and difficult conditions in the area, that actually from witness evidence there was very significant smoke across the carriageway that in effect caused a bank, similar to a fog bank, which was very distracting and very difficult to drive through.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-15612315

[Black Rose]

It was very foggy Friday night, I came back from doing some overtime at work around 00:30 and the fog was very thick in patches (visibility down to 10 metres)

[busybeeburns]

Seven people died and 51 were injured in the pile-up involving 34 vehicles

 

M5 crash deaths accused Geoffrey Counsell is bailed

 

A man has appeared at Bristol Magistrates' Court charged with seven counts of manslaughter following a pile-up on the M5 in Somerset.

 

Seven people died and 51 were injured in the crash involving 34 vehicles.

 

Geoffrey Counsell, from Somerset, was the provider of a fireworks display in a field close to the motorway at Taunton Rugby Club on 4 November 2011.

 

The 50-year-old was remanded on bail and is due to appear before the city's crown court on 4 December.

 

Lorry drivers Terry Brice, from Patchway, South Gloucestershire, and Kye Thomas, from Gunnislake, Cornwall, died in the crash.

 

Father and daughter Michael and Maggie Barton, from Windsor, Berkshire; grandparents Anthony and Pamela Adams, from Newport, south Wales; and battle re-enactor Malcolm Beacham, from Woolavington, near Bridgwater, also died.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-20297215

[bart]

really horrible...