This morning, the car carrying the two young brothers and a woman crashed and overturned on the M6 in Staffordshire, causing the motorway to be completely closed for several hours. Two of the women, including their mother, were gravely injured.
Separately, a car crash close to the Hampshire and Berkshire border resulted in two more fatalities and one critical injury.
Following the crash at approximately 10.25 am that claimed the lives of a 32-year-old woman and two boys, ages four and ten, emergency services described “exceptionally difficult” scenes on the M6. Nothing more was known about their identities. It was previously reported that the three victims were all under the age of three.
Although driving has been difficult for many during the holiday season due to the recent torrential rain that has resulted in 150 flood warnings across England and Wales, the Highways Agency reported that the conditions were fine and dry when the car overturned on the northbound carriageway near junction 15, the turning for Stoke-on-Trent.
An ambulance service representative for West Midlands stated: “When crews arrived, they discovered one car that had collided and flipped over. Three of the children who were riding in the car were seriously hurt. Sadly, despite the ambulance crews’ best efforts, the two boys and one girl could not be saved, and they were pronounced dead at the scene.
“After receiving emergency care for their injuries at the scene, the two adult female passengers in the car were taken by land ambulance to University Hospital North Staffordshire on a blue light so they could receive additional care.”
“Under extremely challenging conditions, every member of the emergency services team collaborated flawlessly with one another at the scene. Regretfully, nobody would have anticipated the result that did.”
When their car crashed on a B road close to Basingstoke, the other two individuals perished a little over an hour earlier. According to reports, the two deceased individuals were reportedly a married couple who were being driven by their son. He sustained severe wounds.
In Wiltshire, a car accident on the A3102 road in Melksham at around 3.30 am claimed the life of a passenger.
A man had what emergency personnel called a “miraculous escape” in a different incident on the M6 early on Christmas morning when his car broke into three pieces after it appeared to have struck a road sign and then a bridge at a high speed.
According to West Midlands ambulance service, the sole occupant, a man in his mid-20s, was discovered “extremely disoriented” but with only minor injuries at the scene. The extent of the car’s damage required emergency personnel to verify the man’s solo status using thermal imagers. An ambulance spokesperson stated: “Considering the damage to the vehicle the man was extremely fortunate not to have suffered more serious or even fatal injuries.”
Roads are expected to become busier again on Boxing Day as people head back home or to the stores for the start of the sales due to the persistently heavy rain in many areas. Flooding caused a partial closure of the A27 in East Sussex, close to Chichester.
More generally, numerous flood warnings were still in effect across the nation, with rains gradually decreasing but new precipitation falling on already-soggy ground.
There were still 151 flood warnings for England and Wales issued by the Environment Agency, indicating that flooding is anticipated. The Midlands accounted for nearly half of these, with several others in the south-east and south-west. 259 still had the less serious flood alert status in effect. Fifty-four flood warnings were cancelled in total.
Approximately 470 properties have been inundated since the most recent round of intense rain started last week.
More rain is expected across much of the nation through Boxing Day, according to forecasters, with the downpours progressively moving north and east. Showers were predicted for the remainder of the week along with some brighter spells.
The weather has also caused rail service delays, which has resulted in a string of issues for the Christmas getaway. Floodwaters from the River Exe between Tiverton and Exeter are expected to remain in place until at least Friday, blocking the main rail route into Devon and Cornwall.
Travel plans for those in London who intend to attend the Boxing Day sales may be affected by a one-day strike by Aslef members on the tube system. Although services would operate on most lines, Transport for London issued a delay warning. The Premier League match between West Ham United and Arsenal has been postponed due to the strike. In addition, TfL plans to increase the number of buses that travel into central London and eliminate the driver congestion charge.
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