Fire engine collides with car as spate of accidents hit region's roads
[gallery] A fire engine on its way to a 999 call was involved in a smash with a car, which led to a major route in Walsall being closed for more than two hours.
The engine, from Wednesbury Fire Station, had its blue light and siren on when it was involved in the crash with a Ford Focus at the junction of Wednesbury Road and Corporation Street.
The woman driver of the car had to be cut free by firefighters while the fire engine's driver was trapped for around an hour.
Both roads had to be closed as a result of the crash, which happened at 5.10pm yesterday with police officers drafted in to divert traffic away from the scene.Neither driver is believed to be seriously injured.
Ben Diamond, a group commander at West Midlands Fire Service headquarters, said: "The collision will be investigated by the fire service and police."
Residents in the area said there were a lot of crashes at the site.
It was one of a spate of crashes across the Black Country last night including one in Tipton and another in Wolverhampton Road West in Walsall.
A motorcyclist was also hurt after a collision with a 4x4 in Bilston and four people were taken to hospital after a two-car smash in the Black Country .
The collision was between a red Peugeot 107 and a red Renault Megane at the junction of Dudley Road and Castle Road, by the Waggon & Horses pub in Tipton.
It happened at around 7.30pm. West Midlands Ambulance Service said it was initially called to reports eight people were injured but four of those were described as walking wounded.
Ambulance service spokesman Huw Jones said: "We assessed eight patients at the scene and transported four to hospital, with minor injuries.
"Our call came in at 19.30, so the accident was shortly before that."
Two fire engines from Tipton were called to the crash. On arrival they found that all those involved had managed to get out of their cars. The fire crews made sure the cars were safe before leaving the scene.
The other four were taken to hospital for precautionary check-ups. The fire service said those people taken to hospital were not believed to be in a serious condition, having also suffered minor bumps.
Police spokeswoman Katherine Hickman said they received a 999 call about the crash at 8.20pm.
She said: "When we arrived we found that Dudley Road was blocked in one direction. Everyone had relatively minor injuries and were being looked after by paramedics."
She added: "The road wasn't closed but was blocked for a short while by the damaged cars."
Owner of the Waggon & Horses pub Pat Lewis said she heard the crash: "I was serving on the bar and just going into the till and I heard a bang.
"I thought a bomb had gone off, it was really loud.
"But I didn't see what happened. Everyone went running outside to see if there was anything they could do.
"I think the people involved were a couple of youngsters from round here, but I don't know their names."
