A child has been killed after a minibus overturned on the M4 in Berkshire in a ‘very serious’ crash.
A stretch of the M4 remains closed after a collision on the eastbound carriageway between junction J11 (Reading) and J10 (Wokingham), which saw a minibus overturn on the slip road.
A child has died and other passengers were left with serious injuries after their minibus overturned on the eastbound exit slip road onto the A329M.
Thames Valley Police said: ‘Sadly, a child has died in the collision and our thoughts remain with their family who are being supported at this extremely difficult time.
‘Other passengers sustained serious injuries, requiring hospital treatment.
‘We would ask motorists to continue to avoid the area as the closure is likely to be in place for the foreseeable future and would like thank them for their patience.’
No arrests have been made following the smash, which involved only the minibus.
The motorway was closed in both directions to allow more air ambulances to land at the scene.
Drivers were told to ‘avoid the area’ and that the closure is ‘likely to be in place for the foreseeable,’ Thames Valley Police warned.
Where the M4 is closed
London-bound traffic faced 50-minute delays and more than three miles of congestion on approach. Diversions were been put in place on nearby roads.
National Highways said traffic officers are ‘holding westbound traffic as two more air ambulances are inbound to the scene and need to land on the road.’
It described the incident as ‘very serious,’ resulting in ‘a serious injury.’
National Highways continued: ‘Large emergency service presence including multiple air ambulances.
‘Road expected to remain closed for some time.’
One motorist said she saw the huge emergency scene just before the road was closed off as she drove past it.
She claimed ‘idiots were still driving down the inside lane they had closed so the emergency vehicles could get through – hope they all get tickets.’
A Thames Valley Air Ambulance spokesperson told Metro: ‘We can confirm that our helicopter and a critical care response vehicle were dispatched to provide advanced critical care at an incident on the M4 today.’
Five critical care units and six ambulances were sent to the scene, a spokesperson for the South Central Ambulance Service told Metro.
The ensuing traffic chaos has been made worse by several broken-down vehicles in the queues on approach to the road closures in both directions, National Highways said.
This is causing congestion between J8 and J9 westbound towards Maidenhead and the A308M and A404M.
There are also reports of a vehicle fire between J7 and J8 nearby on the westbound carriageway.
Unrelated to the crash, traffic was also briefly held further west on the M4 between J16 (Swindon) and J15 (Marlborough) after a police operation involving Wiltshire Police’s specialist operations team.
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