For many years in the middle of March, the site was marked by a patch of yellow. 2023 BBC. Tom Hamill, 25, said shortly after he joined the motorway he hit a "wall of fog like emulsion paint" and suddenly saw a jackknifed lorry loom into view. On 13 March 1991, a multiple-vehicle collision occurred during foggy conditions on the eastbound carriageway of the M4 motorway near Hungerford, Berkshire, between the Membury service station and junction 14. Create an account. M4 motorway Maidenhead: Crash involving two cars One lane is currently closed following a crash involving two cars just of the M4 motorway. 6 December Spain A 25-vehicle pile-up crash due to dense fog on Autova A-8 near Amorebieta-Etxano, Basque Country kills 17 people and injures 50. Toll Plaza East (Westbound) M4. Ten people were killed in the pile-up, which involved 51 vehicles, making it one of the deadliest crashes in the history of Britain's motorway network. But there was certainly a huge fireworks display 15 minutes [of] full-on constant display right beside the motorway and it was generating a lot of smoke. Cart. The young woman died in the fatal crash around 2am on Saturday morning (October 1). The accident took place at the time of year when daffodils bloom in Southern England. Lightboxes. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. The fatal crash has been declared a critical incident and officers from Fairfield are investigating the incident. Just over 30 years ago, one of the worst crashes ever seen on a British motorway happened in Berkshire, involving more than 50 vehicles and leaving 10 people dead. Ten people were killed in the pile-up, which involved 51 vehicles, making it one of the deadliest crashes in the history of Britain's motorway network. [5] January 6 Kenya A bus slammed into a tree on a railroad crossing at outskirt of Murang'a, Central Province, Kenya, in an incident caused by driver losing control and excessive speed, killing 47 people, another 40 are injured. The multi-vehicle crash took place at around 1.43pm on the M4. The victim - aged in her 60s - was a passenger in a black Nissan car. Sign in . An articulated lorry then jack-knifed across all three lanes of the eastbound carriageway. "Now it will have added poignancy," said Gary Birch, the Somerset church's pastor, who on Friday night was on standby with a team of people to offer succour to the injured and the bereaved after the nearby M5 became a blazing mass of crashed vehicles. Two crashes on the M4 in Sydney's west brought traffic to a halt this morning with multiple lanes closed. All westbound lanes were initially closed. Acting Assistant Commissioner Adam Whyte told reporters the car was travelling at excessive speed at the time of the crash. March 13 UK - 1991 M4 Motorway crash: 10 people die in a 45 vehicle pile up in foggy conditions on the M4 motorway near Hungerford. All traffic on the road has been held for around 20 minutes on the westbound carriageway and there is already three miles of queuing traffic on the M4 just past Heathrow Airport, starting at Junction 5 near Langley.. Congestion has already reached the junction with the . After the accident, some police officers who attended the scene planted daffodil bulbs in the bank on the side of the road next to the accident. Sign up for our newsletter and get the top stories from BerkshireLive delivered straight to your inbox, Petrol shortages will carry on for another week 'or so' says minister, Firefighters work to put out the fire in one of the lorries involved in the crash, Firefighters and soldiers work on the aftermath of the crash, Fire crews survey some of the mangled wreckages of the 51 vehicles that were involved, This picture shows the scale of the clean up operation after the vehicles ploughed into each other, A jack-knifed lorry at the scene of the crash, The vehicles crashed into each other in the space of less than 20 seconds, A firefighter works on a scorched vehicle, The crash left the motorway closed for four days, 10 people died in the crash and 25 others were injured, A lorry cabin that was left caved in in the crash, BerkshireLive delivered straight to your inbox, BBC Weather forecasts light snow to hit Berkshire towns including Reading, Slough, Bracknell, Snow and sub-zero temperatures are forecast by BBC Weather, Live A329(M) traffic recap as lane reopens after crash near Wokingham, Person dies after being hit by train near Slough in incident that closed GWR line, The British Transport Police was called to the scene shortly before 8am, Mum banned from gym over photo posted on her Instagram page, The picture was taken in the gym changing room, and showed mum-of-two Stephanie, Berkshire's most deprived areas including in Reading, Slough and Windsor according to recent Census data, Slough has the highest proportion of deprived households under the dimensions of education, employment, health and housing, Reading parents unable to find out children's school places after 'critical incident', The portal required to access the results page is currently down, Rapists, burglars and other criminals locked up in Berkshire in February 2023, The courts in Berkshire dealt with a variety of cases this month, New waterside Mediterranean tapas bar to open in Maidenhead in March, The restaurant will use local ingredients to create authentic Spanish food, Six players set to depart Reading FC in summer transfer overhaul while 12 have futures in doubt, An early look at how the Reading FC squad could shape up over the summer and going into 2023/24 with another big overhaul expected, Reading FC face fresh relegation threat with EFL set for decision over new six-point deduction, Reading FC currently sit 14th in the Championship table but could be plunged into the relegation mix amid reports the Royals could face a fresh six point deduction, Reading FC's long-term plan questioned by former Royals midfielder with Andy Carroll point made, Reading FC are closing in on securing safety in this year's Championship having racked up 44 points from their 32 matches to date, following a 3-1 win against Blackpool, New Reading Festival 2023 acts announced including Mimi Webb, Rina Sawayama, More than 80 acts have been announced to join Billie Eilish, Lewis Capaldi and many others at the events, Plans for 62 home development in Reading town centre site to go before council, If approved, the development will be built on a former swimming pool which closed in 2018, Berkshire family fearful over nonsensical prison release of pilot who killed his wife, Robert Brown bludgeoned his 46-year-old wife Joanna to death with a claw hammer in their family home as their two young children cowered in a playroom, Live A329(M) traffic updates as lane closed after crash near Wokingham, 'Not sure why' - Reading FC boss Paul Ince left stumped as defender's injury absence continues, Reading FC defender and vice-captain Tom Holmes has missed the side's past four matches with a calf problem and is rated at 50-50 going into Saturday's game at Middlesbrough, M4 and A404M road closures this week as National Highways issues diversions, Closures are in place for resurfacing work, smart motorways and signage repairs, 'I can never relax' - Paul Ince has his say on Reading FC's diminishing relegation prospects, Reading FC moved a big step towards securing safety in the Championship for another season over the weekend after a 3-1 victory over Blackpool at the Select Car Leasing Stadium. A man in his 40s has died after being hit by a car on a busy stretch of motorway, Wiltshire Police have said. On 13 March 1991, a multiple-vehicle collision occurred during foggy conditions on the eastbound carriageway of the M4 motorway near Hungerford, Berkshire, between the Membury service station and junction 14.. Fred Duesenberg: 1876 Nov. 8, 2011. Others took evasive action by driving onto the hard shoulder and up the sides of the cutting. If you are speeding and you get detected by the police speeding, it is far easier for you to stop and basically accept the consequences of your actions, Whyte said. A woman has died after an early morning incident shut the M4 for several hours near Swindon. 1991 M4 crash Location M4between junctions 14 and 15, near Lambourn, Berkshire Deaths 10 Non-fatal injuries 25 Property damage 51 vehicles destroyed or damaged; road surface scorched; central reservation damaged M4 motorway crash Location in Berkshire and England A passing officer and two police students and members of the public tried to free Malas and Dandan from the burning wreckage, but both men died at the scene. Here is everything we know so far about the two major incidents on the M4 on Sunday: A man has died following an incident on the M4 at junction 30 eastbound at around 4.22am this morning. ", Assistant chief constable Anthony Bangham, of Avon and Somerset police, said a number of passengers were unable to escape from their burning cars. Stock photos, 360 images, vectors and videos A woman in her 60s was killed and two other people were seriously injured in a crash on the M4 on Monday morning, Thames Valley Police has confirmed. Emergency services rushed to the incident after being called to the road closure between junctions 11 and 12 at shortly after 8.45am on Monday (March 7). Buy images; Sell images; Infinite suggestions of high quality videos and topics We could hear people screaming in their cars.". Some of the injured and dead were pulled from the wreckage by passing motorists who stopped to assist. In a period of 19 seconds, 51 vehicles became involved in a pile-up. Find something interesting to watch in seconds. [2] [3]. Bridget Driscoll is the first person to die in a petrol-enginedcar crash, and the first pedestrian victim of an automobile crash in the United Kingdom. Multi-vehicle collision on the M4 motorway. The M4 Motorway passes through the southern part of the parish between Junction 14 (7 miles southeast of the village) and Junction 15 (8 miles to the west). 2023 BBC. One of the earliest recorded road crash victims. The severity of the incident was then magnified when an articulated lorry jack-knifed across all three lanes of the motorway. Ten people were killed in the pile-up, which involved 51 vehicles, making it one of the deadliest crashes in the history of Britain's motorway network. ", Sam Jones, 22, who was travelling with his 19-year-old sister came to a halt yards before a burning lorry. Whyte thanked bystanders who tried, albeit without success, to help police in their efforts to remove the men from the car. Close to town centre, just 10 minutes from M40 Junction 15, easy access from the UK motorway network). Seifeddine Malas and Jebriel Dandan were travelling in an Audi at speeds of more than 200km/h when it crashed through a railing and plunged 20m to the M4 motorway below. Crash investigators said later in the space of 19 seconds 51 vehicles became involved in the crash. Read more about this topic: List Of Road Accidents, 1990s. From suburban London it follows the Thames Valley past Slough, Maidenhead and Reading - home, today, of Britain's technology companies, and a place that has earned the M4 the nickname the "silicon highway". "I remember thinking: 'I hope the smoke doesn't cause a problem for the motorway.' Brave drivers even left their cars to try to warn others of what they were approaching. Cousins identified as victims of fiery fatal crash on Sydney M4 motorway The pair died when their Audi smashed through a barrier, plunged 20m to the road below and burst into flames. A van driver claimed something flew up in front of him, believed to be jackdaws, startling him and causing him to skid into the central reservation, but it was later reported that he fell asleep at the wheel. "One man said there was someone trapped inside a blue taxi which had run straight into the back of a lorry. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Others took evasive action by driving onto the hard shoulder and up the sides of the cutting. Travelling in the M4 Tunnels? One driver - Alan Bateman - freed himself from his car and ran back down the central reservation to warn approaching motorists, but was ignored or hooted by some drivers as they continued towards the crash. Take the tour RouteYou for professionals Language. The incident happened at around 6.50am on March 13 1991 on the eastbound carriageway near junction 14 at Hungerford. READ MORE: The secret radio station in a Berkshire village that helped our war heroes defeat the Nazis. 31 July USA - A bus carrying about 60 Girl Scouts overturns on a desert mountain road near Highway 111, killing 7 people. Ten people were killed and 25 others were injured, making it one of the worst pile-ups on a motorway in Britain. . It was noted at the time that there were "nearly as many" people killed and injured in the crash than in the British Army from enemy fire in the Gulf War. In all 10 people died in the incident as well 25 other people being injured. 8:07AM November 3, 2022. The vehicle ignited on impact with the motorway as shocked witnesses tried to free the men from the fiery wreckage. [4] The crash led to warning signals being introduced on British motorways to warn drivers of fog. Hi there! M4 - J43 Llandarcy (West) M4. Experts said Britain had not seen a multiple traffic accident on the scale of Friday's pile-up for 20 years. Court documents show Malas was banned from driving after he pleaded guilty in June to driving recklessly or furiously or in a speed or manner dangerous his second such offence. It was the second triple fatal collision on the Thames Valley's road in 48 hours as three special needs teachers were killed when in collision with a lorry on the M4 motorway. The crash led to the motorway being closed for four days. "We were incredibly lucky. 7NEWS reports Malas should not have been behind the wheel as he was banned from driving until 2025. "It appears it was full of deodorants and cans," he said. "One car was doing 60-70mph when it went into the back of a lorry that had jackknifed across the carriageway. VideoAt the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Blackpink lead top stars back on the road in Asia, 'Wales is in England' gaffe sparks TikToker's trip, Ukraine war casts shadow over India's G20 ambitions, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. READ MORE: Police identify body of mum who vanished while walking her dog A black Nissan car and a white van collided as . [4] The crash led to warning signals being introduced on British motorways to warn drivers of fog. At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. The crash, near the town of Hungerford, happened in heavy fog during morning rush . Australian music teacher killed by lover and dumped in crocodile-infested river. A car travelling behind the van changed lanes to avoid contact but other vehicles behind, which were travelling at speeds averaging 70 miles per hour, failed to avoid the crashed van and skidded into the other lanes of the carriageway. It was very stressful. Fire and Rescue NSW were called to the scene to extinguish the blaze. 1991 World Rowing Championships - Vienna (AUT) - Men's Four (M4-) World Rowing 2:56 Motorbike rider crashes over the edge of motorway flyover Stephenward 0:26 Queensland Officials Release Motorway Crash Footage, Urge Caution at Exits StoryfulNews 0:37 Lorry crash leaves thousands of fish all over motorway Newsflare Thnh hnh David Crosby 1:19 On 13 March 1991, a multiple-vehicle collision occurred during foggy conditions on the eastbound carriageway of the M4 motorway near Hungerford, Berkshire, between the Membury service station and junction 14.. "Most vehicles were well alight and most continued to burn for a considerable time," Bangham said. Membury Service Station was built on the site of the old RAF Membury here, and Membury transmitting station stands here. WestConnex M4 (the New M4 Tunnels and the Widened M4), includes 5.5km Tunnels and around 8.5km of surface roads . Police were called to the motorway between junctions 15 and 16, near the Croft Road bridge. Just over 30 years ago, one of the worst crashes ever seen on a British motorway happened in Berkshire, involving more than 50 vehicles and leaving 10 people dead. The accident took place at the time of year when daffodils bloom in Southern England. Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}512811N 13115W / 51.4696N 1.5209W / 51.4696; -1.5209, https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/stories/the-gulf-war, "A tragedy leads to motorway hazard signs warning of adverse weather", "1991 M4 Motorway Crash Video - Event Coverage and Interviews", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1991_M4_motorway_crash&oldid=1133994460, 51 vehicles destroyed or damaged; road surface scorched; central reservation damaged, This page was last edited on 16 January 2023, at 13:50. A car travelling behind the van changed lanes to avoid contact but other vehicles behind, which were travelling at speeds averaging 70 miles per hour, failed to avoid the crashed van and skidded into the other lanes of the carriageway. 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