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M5 crash leaves coach passenger dead and 39 others hurt | |
(40 minutes later) | |
One person died and 39 others were hurt when a coach and lorry crashed on the M5 in the West Midlands. | |
The motorway was shut after the collision at 06:24 GMT which happened southbound close to Frankley services between junctions 3 and 4. | The motorway was shut after the collision at 06:24 GMT which happened southbound close to Frankley services between junctions 3 and 4. |
West Midlands Ambulance Service said it had treated 40 adults at the scene, but one coach passenger died. | |
Police said another coach passenger and the lorry driver were seriously hurt. The road has now reopened northbound. | |
Twenty-seven of the injured were transferred to nearby hospitals including Queen Elizabeth Hospital and City Hospital in Birmingham, Alexandra Hospital in Redditch and Sandwell Hospital. | |
'Quite horrendous' | |
An eyewitness told the BBC the lorry had struck the coach from behind. | |
There were foggy conditions in the area and the crash happened on a section of the motorway where roadworks are being carried out. | There were foggy conditions in the area and the crash happened on a section of the motorway where roadworks are being carried out. |
The northbound side of the motorway has now reopened, but the southbound side remains shut. | The northbound side of the motorway has now reopened, but the southbound side remains shut. |
West Midlands Police said it had been receiving calls from worried parents and wanted to stress that no children were involved in the crash. | |
Eyewitness Paul Guppy said: "I was driving past this at about twenty to seven. | |
"I was going north and on the south side, just after junction 3, there was a single-decker bus mounted up against the crash barrier with a lorry wedged into the back of it. | "I was going north and on the south side, just after junction 3, there was a single-decker bus mounted up against the crash barrier with a lorry wedged into the back of it. |
"And it completely blocked the whole three lanes. | "And it completely blocked the whole three lanes. |
"There was fog patches, 'cos I was driving through it with my fog lights on. | "There was fog patches, 'cos I was driving through it with my fog lights on. |
"That area is renowned for heavy fog... it was quite horrendous at the time." | |
West Midlands Ambulance Service earlier tweeted: "Whilst the majority of patients appear to be walking wounded there are a small number with potentially serious injuries." | |
Steve Wheaton from, West Midlands Ambulance Service, said the outcome could have been far worse. | |
He said: "The weather this morning has not been in our favour, in that it was very, very foggy at the time the incident occurred. | |
"Fortunately, in many ways, whilst we have had a fatality and some serious injuries, the motorway was reasonably quiet at that time in the morning, so further loss of life or serious casualties may have been avoided." | |
West Midlands Police advised drivers to travel on the M6 and M42 to avoid the M5. | West Midlands Police advised drivers to travel on the M6 and M42 to avoid the M5. |
Are you in the area? Have you been affected by this crash? You can send us your experiences using the form below. | Are you in the area? Have you been affected by this crash? You can send us your experiences using the form below. |