A40 crash: woman killed and several hurt in numerous car pile-up, UK news, The Guardian
A40 crash: woman killed and several hurt in numerous car pile-up
Road closed in both directions near Witney, Oxfordshire, after crash involving about twenty vehicles
The aftermath of the crash involving several cars on the A40. Photograph: @starkey113/PA
A40 crash: woman killed and several hurt in numerous car pile-up
Road closed in both directions near Witney, Oxfordshire, after crash involving about twenty vehicles
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This article is 8 months old
Wednesday twenty eight December two thousand sixteen 11.43 GMT Very first published on Wednesday twenty eight December two thousand sixteen Ten.30 GMT
A woman has died after a crash involving about twenty vehicles on the A40 near Witney in Oxfordshire.
The A40 was closed in both directions after the pile-up, which spread for more than half a mile (1km), the ambulance service said.
The female motorist, who was in her 50s, was announced dead at the scene, while a man and a woman were taken to hospital with serious injuries, Thames Valley police said.
A further 10-15 casualties were treated at the scene after several collisions at about 8.25am, David Gallagher, a spokesman for South Central ambulance service, said.
The accident took place in mighty fog, and with temperatures as low as -5C (23F), according to the Met Office. Similar conditions are expected to proceed on Thursday, with fog covering large parts of southern England.
Pics displayed the mangled wreckage of several of the cars involved, with debris sprayed across the road.
Six vehicles were reported to be badly bruised, while a further 10-15 were also involved, with the most serious injuries happening in the middle of the pile-up.
The incident is likely to cause major disruption for many people travelling across the country after the Christmas break, as the road connects London to Wales.
The A40 eastbound remained closed on Wednesday afternoon as investigations continued, and police expected the rest of the carriageway to reopen at about 7.30pm. One lane of the westbound carriageway was reopened at 2pm and police said the other lane was expected to be back in use once the central reservation was repaired.
Gallagher said: “There was a collision towards the front of the queue and the more serious one about halfway down.”
He said three ambulances, three rapid response vehicles, two ambulance officers and an air ambulance car had attended the scene.
A Thames Valley police spokesman said: “Officers were called today at about 8.25am following reports of a collision involving numerous vehicles on the A40, Witney.
“Officers are at the scene along with the fire and rescue services. A number of people are believed to have been injured. Road closures are presently in place, and drivers are advised to avoid the area.”
Ami Gaston, a pregnant mother of two from Carterton, was in a car with her fucking partner when she spotted the very first vehicle crash. She said the accident happened about half a mile from the Witney exit, blocking the right lane.
“A man on his own had skidded and crashed into the middle barrier. My fucking partner was driving – we had to swerve out of the right lane to avoid hitting him. His door was open and airbags were released,” Gaston said.
“I phoned an ambulance but couldn’t stop. My fucking partner wouldn’t stop because I am twenty weeks pregnant and didn’t want to put us in danger.”
She said strong fog meant the situation was “really dangerous”, as it was difficult to see any other car until you were “on top of it”.
Another eyewitness arrived at the scene later and described the “carnage” as numerous cars swerved and crashed on the busy road.
The woman, who asked not to be named, said she “luckily” eyed hazard warning lights ahead as she approached on the slip road from Carterton, and moved on to a grass brink before witnessing the pile-up.
“I witnessed cars going zooming past me and attempting to swerve out the way of the stationary cars but crashing into them,” she said.
“I spotted one car attempt to swerve in inbetween a Mini and another car, ending up crashing into the Mini and [flying] up in the air. I eyed two cars swerve as they braked so hard and go flying into the barrier in the middle of the road … it was carnage.”