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| Fatal M62 minibus crash: lorry driver arrested | Fatal M62 minibus crash: lorry driver arrested |
| (4 months later) | |
| A lorry driver has been arrested after a crash involving a minibus in which one woman died and 18 people were injured, five of them seriously. | A lorry driver has been arrested after a crash involving a minibus in which one woman died and 18 people were injured, five of them seriously. |
| The collision happened on the westbound carriageway of the M62 near Pontefract at about 11.30am. Rescuers were working to free those who remained trapped, West Yorkshire police said. | The collision happened on the westbound carriageway of the M62 near Pontefract at about 11.30am. Rescuers were working to free those who remained trapped, West Yorkshire police said. |
| The minibus is believed to have been carrying a group of around 20 women, all from the West Yorkshire area. | The minibus is believed to have been carrying a group of around 20 women, all from the West Yorkshire area. |
| Emergency services – including six air ambulances – were called at 11.30am to junction 32 of the M62 after the crash near the Xscape leisure park. | Emergency services – including six air ambulances – were called at 11.30am to junction 32 of the M62 after the crash near the Xscape leisure park. |
| Police said the motorway was closed in both directions and advised motorists to avoid the area. | Police said the motorway was closed in both directions and advised motorists to avoid the area. |
| A spokesman said the driver of the lorry, a local man, has been arrested in connection with the incident. | A spokesman said the driver of the lorry, a local man, has been arrested in connection with the incident. |
| Assistant chief constable Craig Guildford, of West Yorkshire police, said: "This is a significant incident with a number of casualties and as a result of this we have had to close the motorway to allow emergency services to safely get to and free those who are injured. We realise this will cause disruption and I would ask drivers to bear with us and avoid the motorway in that area as there will be significant delays. | Assistant chief constable Craig Guildford, of West Yorkshire police, said: "This is a significant incident with a number of casualties and as a result of this we have had to close the motorway to allow emergency services to safely get to and free those who are injured. We realise this will cause disruption and I would ask drivers to bear with us and avoid the motorway in that area as there will be significant delays. |
| "Emergency services remain on the scene and will re-open lanes of the M62 in the area as soon as we can do so safely, but clearly the priority at this stage has been recovering those who are injured. Anyone who is concerned about a family member or who has witnessed the collision itself is asked to contact West Yorkshire police on 101 for information." | "Emergency services remain on the scene and will re-open lanes of the M62 in the area as soon as we can do so safely, but clearly the priority at this stage has been recovering those who are injured. Anyone who is concerned about a family member or who has witnessed the collision itself is asked to contact West Yorkshire police on 101 for information." |
| A spokeswoman for the Yorkshire ambulance service said: "We received an emergency call at 11.31am today to reports of a serious collision between a mini-coach and an HGV at junction 32 of the M62, close to Castleford, West Yorkshire. | A spokeswoman for the Yorkshire ambulance service said: "We received an emergency call at 11.31am today to reports of a serious collision between a mini-coach and an HGV at junction 32 of the M62, close to Castleford, West Yorkshire. |
| "Due to the scale of the incident we have enacted our major incident plan and dispatched a number of resources to the scene including ambulances, our hazardous area response team, doctors and air ambulance. Ambulance clinicians are providing treatment at the scene and are working closely with their emergency service colleagues." | "Due to the scale of the incident we have enacted our major incident plan and dispatched a number of resources to the scene including ambulances, our hazardous area response team, doctors and air ambulance. Ambulance clinicians are providing treatment at the scene and are working closely with their emergency service colleagues." |
| Kevin Hodgson, director of operations at Great North Air Ambulance, said it had sent two air ambulances, which were joined by two from North West Air Ambulance and another two from Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. | Kevin Hodgson, director of operations at Great North Air Ambulance, said it had sent two air ambulances, which were joined by two from North West Air Ambulance and another two from Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. |
| He said one had taken a casualty to Leeds General Infirmary while another was en route to the James Cook university hospital in Middlesbrough with a patient on board. | He said one had taken a casualty to Leeds General Infirmary while another was en route to the James Cook university hospital in Middlesbrough with a patient on board. |
| "We do not know the exact state of the injuries, but certainly the patient en route to the James Cook hospital was anaesthetised on scene by the doctor and paramedic," he said. | "We do not know the exact state of the injuries, but certainly the patient en route to the James Cook hospital was anaesthetised on scene by the doctor and paramedic," he said. |
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