Five people were taken to hospital following an accident which led to the closure of the northbound carriageway of the M5 motorway near Burnham-On-Sea on Friday afternoon (July 15th).
The collision – involving seven vehicles – occurred shortly after 1pm between junction 22 at Burnham and junction 23 at Bridgwater.
Emergency services at the scene decided to close the motorway so they could help people trapped inside the vehicles, causing huge tailbacks for motorists of over 10 miles.
Ambulance spokesman Dave Rogers told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “Five patients were conveyed to Weston General Hospital, one of whom was a child, with suspected back and neck injuries.”
Fire crews had to cut the roof from one of the vehicles to allow the casualty to be released using a long board.
The accident led to long traffic queues building up along alternative routes, including the A38 through Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge.
A police spokesman told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “The decision to close motorways is never taken lightly. Police officers are aware of the impact this has on motorists.”
Pictured: Motorists faced queues on the A38 and M5 today after the seven vehicle accident
