Dozens hurt as 130 vehicles crash in Kent

Dozens of people have been injured as more than 130 vehicles were involved in a series of crashes in thick fog on the A249 Sheppey crossing in Kent. Eight of those hurt in the collisions, which took place at about 07:15 BST, have serious injuries. Ambulance crews said 27 casualties needed hospital treatment and they dealt with 200 people at the scene.

The crossing will remain closed for the rest of the day and rush-hour drivers have been warned of delays. Firefighters said they had freed five people from their vehicles on the southbound carriageway. One witness said visibility had been very poor at the time of the crash but drivers were approaching the crossing with no lights.

Others at the scene described a mass of tangled cars, lorries, and a car transporter. Some reports said the crash went on for 10 minutes as cars continuously collided with each other. A woman came up to us sobbing saying, 'thank you, thank you, you saved my life”

South East Coast Ambulance Service (Secamb) said eight people were seriously injured with a further 27 requiring hospital treatment. A Secamb spokesman said a further 200 people were either treated for minor injuries or given advice should symptoms develop later. The injured people were taken to six different hospitals in Medway, Ashford, Margate, Maidstone, Canterbury and London.

Medway Maritime Hospital declared a major incident and cancelled all its routine planned surgery, to help deal with the incident. A spokesman said the hospital remained on standby and its emergency department was open. Secamb said the first ambulances left the crash scene at 08:50 BST because much of the triage and early treatment was carried out at the scene.

Patients started arriving in hospitals shortly after with Medway admitting its first casualty at 09:45 BST.

Source: BBC