 The M5 on 5 November 2011, the day after the crash | |
| Date | 4 November 2011 |
|---|---|
| Time | 20:25 UTC |
| Location | Bathpool and Creech St Michael (near Taunton), Somerset, England |
| Coordinates | 51°01′26″N 3°03′24″W / 51.0239°N 3.0568°W |
| Deaths | 7 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 51 |
| Property damage | 34 vehicles; road surface scorched, debris fused into road surface; safety barrier damage |
| Charges | 1 person charged under health and safety laws |
| Verdict | Not guilty |
  M5 motorway crash Location in Somerset and England | |
On 4 November 2011, a multiple-vehicle collision occurred on the M5 motorway near Taunton, Somerset, in South West England. The crash involved dozens of cars and articulated lorries, and a large fireball ensued.[1]
Seven people were killed and 51 others were injured, making the pile-up the deadliest on a British motorway since 13 people – 12 of them children – died in a minibus crash on the M40 in 1993.
In October 2012, a man who had organised and was operating a fireworks display for Guy Fawkes Night at Taunton Rugby Club's ground, which is adjacent to the motorway, was charged with seven counts of manslaughter. In January 2013, the manslaughter charges were dropped and instead he faced a single charge under health and safety laws of failing to ensure the safety of others. In December 2013 he was found not guilty of the charge.
In April 2014, the West Somerset coroner concluded that the accident was caused by dense fog, and that smoke from fireworks may have been a contributory factor, but was not the prime cause of the incident.[2]
- ^ "Seven Confirmed Dead in M5 Accident in Somerset". BBC News. 5 November 2011. Archived from the original on 5 November 2011. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
- ^ "M5 crash: Relatives of victims react to inquest". BBC News. 17 April 2014. Archived from the original on 27 June 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2014.