Durham A1 crash: Three killed in six-vehicle collision

Police crash investigators have been at the scene of the crash on the A1(M) in County Durham throughout Friday

Three people have died in a crash on the A1(M) which involved six vehicles, police said.

Two lorries and four cars were caught up in the crash at Bowburn, County Durham, at about 18:20 BST on Thursday.

Durham Police said three people from two of the cars died at the scene.

A man, 41, who was driving one of the lorries has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, the force said.

A man who was driving a Toyota Hilux and a man and woman from a Vauxhall Crossland all died at the scene.

A police spokeswoman said formal identification was expected "to take some time" but families had been informed.

Several others were injured in the collision, with two people requiring hospital treatment, she said.

'Harrowing incident'

The spokeswoman said: "Due to the complexity of the scene, there is ongoing work to safely recover evidence and remove vehicles which will take some time."

Det Supt Dave Ashton said it was a "harrowing incident" and has been "incredibly upsetting and distressing for those who witnessed the collision, and for the emergency responders, including police officers, firefighters and paramedics, who attended the scene".

"Our thoughts are with the family and friends of those who have lost their loved ones," Mr Ashton said.

He also urged members of the public not to share pictures or videos of the crash online "out of dignity and respect for those who have lost their lives".

The Great North Air Ambulance was called to the scene, as well as police, paramedics and firefighters

Mr Ashton said the road would stay shut for the rest of the day and would need to be assessed for damage before it could be opened.

"Motorists should avoid the area and plan ahead if they need to travel," he said.

"We understand the significant disruption that this incident has caused, and would like to thank people for their patience, understanding and co-operation while we work at the scene."

Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service said it had taken more than an hour to put out the lorry fire.

Seven crews, including a specialist unit from Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, were sent to the site, it said.

The Great North Air Ambulance was also deployed to transport casualties.

The police force is appealing for dashcam footage or photographs of the crash to be uploaded to a specialist website.

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