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M4 crash: 29 taken to hospital after collision near Cardiff | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Twenty-nine people have been taken to hospital following two crashes involving a minibus and four cars on the M4 near Cardiff. | |
The road was shut between junction 33 Capel Llanilltern and junction 34 Miskin after two accidents on both sides of the motorway. It has now reopened. | |
One woman was airlifted to hospital and another 28 people were taken to three hospitals by ambulance. | |
Traffic is still queuing for miles. | |
A South Wales Police officer said he believed there would be disruption for a few hours following the crash, which happened at about 11:50 GMT. | |
FIRST ON THE SCENE: Fireman Lee Morley | |
The 27 year old from Swansea was driving westbound when he saw the crash happen. | |
"All of a sudden I saw on the other side (of the road) a lot of queuing stationary traffic to go up to the sliproad," he said. | |
"Then the minibus went into the back of a car, the car then went into the back of a Range Rover and that then went into another car, which spun out and scrunched." | |
Mr Morley immediately pulled into the hard shoulder. | |
"I jumped over the barrier and a woman in the car which spun out was breathing but unconscious. But I got her to come round by talking to her and doing what I'm trained to do," he said. | |
"An off-duty nurse then took over from me while I then helped other walking wounded. | |
"It was crazy and surreal." | |
Mr Morley said two air ambulances attended and one took the injured woman to University Hospital of Wales (UHW). | |
"There were children standing on the side of the road, they had been in the cars caught up in it," he said. | |
"The minibus was full of pensioners and I think they were on their way to see the musical Top Hat in Cardiff. They were mainly walking wounded with some significant cuts and bruises." | |
UHW said it has been treating the injured and, as a result, non-urgent patients may face delays. | |
South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said the injured were also being taken to the Princess of Wales, Bridgend, and the Royal Glamorgan, Llantrisant. | |
Eyewitnesses caught up in the disruption said traffic was gridlocked. | Eyewitnesses caught up in the disruption said traffic was gridlocked. |
Cory Richards, 20, from Swansea, who is a student at Cardiff University, said he saw a 29-seater coach crash into the side of a Land Rover, which hit the car in front. | |
"I could see three cars in the pile up, one car overturned," he said | "I could see three cars in the pile up, one car overturned," he said |
Tom Stoneman, 25, from Llanelli but living in Bristol, said he saw lots of walking wounded who were on the motorway looking for help. | Tom Stoneman, 25, from Llanelli but living in Bristol, said he saw lots of walking wounded who were on the motorway looking for help. |
"I saw five cars involved, a big Land Rover and Corsa were in the middle of the motorway with a lot of damage and facing the wrong way." | "I saw five cars involved, a big Land Rover and Corsa were in the middle of the motorway with a lot of damage and facing the wrong way." |
He added there were "hundreds and hundreds of cars" at a standstill in the tailback stretching back up to six miles. | |
Craig Lewis said he was stuck for two hours between junctions 34 and 35. | |
"It's gridlocked on the inside of the eastbound lane," he added. | |
BBC producer Margaret Keenan, who was stuck for more than an hour, said: "I could see several people standing by the side of the road, clearly distressed. | |
"There were several ambulances and at least seven police cars." | |
Have you been affected by the accident on the M4? If it is safe to do so you can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experience. Please include a telephone number if you are willing to be contacted by a BBC journalist. | Have you been affected by the accident on the M4? If it is safe to do so you can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experience. Please include a telephone number if you are willing to be contacted by a BBC journalist. |
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