A1(M) County Durham: Several feared dead as lorry crashes and bursts into flames

16 July 2021, 06:32

Several people are feared dead after a lorry crashed and exploded into flames on a busy motorway.

A recovery operation is under way after the horrific crash on the A1(M) between Bradbury and Carville in County Durham. 

Durham Constabulary said several vehicles including two lorries had collided on the northbound carriageway at Bowburn at 6.20pm on Thursday.

One of the lorries caught fire as a result of the collision.

Pictures from the scene showed a lorry had seemingly collided with several cars before coming to a halt on the central reservation, and catching fire.

Wreckage was strewn for several hundred feet down the road behind the lorry. One white Range Rover was particularly badly damaged, while other cars were written off.

The force added: "Sadly, there appear to have been fatalities."

The road has been closed in both directions between Bradbury and Carrville and is expected to remain shut for several hours while emergency services, including police, fire and the ambulance service, work at the scene.

Motorists are being urged to find alternative routes.

Durham Constabulary is urging anyone with dashcam footage of the incident to come forward.

Police said: "The A1(M) between Bradbury and Carrville is expected to remain closed in both directions throughout tomorrow morning while our investigators continue to work at the scene.

"We would ask all motorists to avoid the area and please use alternative routes."

Witnesses should call the police on 101 quoting incident number 322 of July 15.