BREAKING - 'Lives Lost' In 26-Vehicle Motorway Pile-Up - Somerset, England

bb1234567

thats horrible, RIP all those killed and I hope all those injured recover quickly:( was this in ireland or england, and how did this all happen, and how 30 vehicles manage to plow into eachother to cause such a horrible thing?

LizT

bb1234567 wrote: »

thats horrible, RIP all those killed and I hope all those injured recover quickly:( was this in ireland or england, and how did this all happen, and how 30 vehicles manage to plow into eachother to cause such a horrible thing?

It's in the west of England. Obviously no one can say what happened at this early stage but apparently it was very foggy at the time of the accident.

westendgirlie

If you have nothing constructive to say, please, just show some respect!

My thoughts are with the families of those who were killed. I also pray for those injured.

Alan b.

expectationlost wrote: »

shouldn't they just change the speed limit in bad weather conditions then people wouldn't be allowed to be portrayed as blameless heros when the crash at high speed.

some countries do have that,
electronic signs display the speed limits and when bad conditions arrise, they change the speed limit on the road.
great idea to be honest.

Posy

I feel sorry for all those involved.

x in the city

RobitTV wrote: »

Several people are believed to have been killed and as many as 30 injured in a collision involving 26 vehicles on the M5 motorway in Somerset, England.

A police spokesman said: "There are reports of between 25 and 30 injuries, 10 are believed to be life changing and it is believed that people have lost their lives."

Some 20 light vehicles and six articulated lorries were involved in the smash on the motorway close to junction 25 near Taunton at around 8.30pm.

At least four people who were trapped have been cut free by firefighters.
Eyewitnesses have reported seeing burning vehicles and casualities and debris strewn across the road, one witness saw a number of explosions and black smoke.

FireFighters have said "it's the worst we've ever seen in our careers"

http://news.sky.com/home/uk-news/article/16103826

read that earlier, sounds like a real day version of that stuff that happenns in final destination.

grim.

RobitTV

Look guys this is a RIP thread and messages and updates.

No arguments, it's so disrespectful and a insult to the people involved in this horrific and terrifying accident.

Ian Beale

Just watched the video on sky news, horrific. May those poor people rest in peace and those that survived make a full recovery.

maxfresh

jesus just shows how dangerous motorways can be

myflipflops

It's not often i am genuinely left speechless but that video of the fire had me silent for the last 30 minutes. It is a lot of people's worst fear is to be trapped in a burning car/building

Here's hoping most (if not all) people got out.

fran oconnor

myflipflops wrote: »

It's not enough i am genuinely left speechless but that video of the fire had me silent for the last 30 minutes. It is a lot of people's worst fear is to be trapped in a burning car/building

Here's hoping most (if not all) people got out.

I'd hate to think that any of these people died in a burning car, i'd like to think that there deaths where over quick and without any pain.

Paully D

Absolutely awful news.

Irish Steve

Know that section of road very well, we used to live near J26, and I was driving that section regularly from pretty much the day it opened. Sounds like it's in the section just after the junction, where there is a lot of low lying wet ground, and there is a slight rise to the northbound lane, which slows heavy vehicles a bit.

The M5 is not dangerous, what's dangerous are a number of supposed safety issues. That motorway is 3 lane, unlike most of Ireland's 2 lane motorways, but the biggest safety issue in poor visibility, which apparently is a factor, is the same issue that causes problems on a daily basis here.

Artic trucks, speed limited, where one of the drivers is under so much time pressure, he HAS to get past another truck that's doing almost the same speed as he is. The result of this is that the motorway is effectively suddenly reduced to one lane, as 2 trucks slug it out with each other for sometimes several kilometers at 88.something Kph, while everyone else is doing anything up to (here) 120 or 110 in the UK. If the visibility is poor, a vehicle in Lane 2 may end up pulling into Lane 3 in an inappropriate manner, and if a driver doing high speed in Lane 3 suddenly is faced with a slower vehicle, that can and does cause accidents. I used to deal with breakdowns and accidents on that section of the motorway, and it's not nice,

Here, the same scenario applies, and it's worse, in that most of our motorways are 2 lane. In the UK, HGV's and trailer towing vehicles are not allowed in lane 3, and here, if the speed limit is above 80 Kph, supposedly, HGV's are not allowed in Lane 2, but that's never been enforced that I've seen.

In parts of Germany, the Autobahn have no upper speed limit, only an advisory of 130Kph. I've been on them when Mercs etc have come apparently out of nowhere at speeds up to 180, and even with a careful and close eye on the mirror, a vehicle at that speed comes supposedly out of nowhere.

There are way too many incidents both here and in the UK where people completely underestimate the speed that a vehicle approaching from behind them is doing,

The emergency services are describing this incident as "the worst in living memory", and a lot of memories go back a long way in that part of the world.

Pretty_Pistol

What town/city is that part of motorway near?

I'm not near a TV but by whats been posted here I don't think I want to see it. People being trapped and burned to death.

Sharpshooter

Thread cleaned up.

Keep on topic and leave the digs out.