Car destroyed but no serious injuries as M5 lorry crash leads to delays across Black Country
A car was destroyed and a lorry ended up on the wrong side of the motorway but nobody was seriously hurt in a serious crash on the M5.
Drivers faced delays for seven hours after the crash happened between Junction 1 for West Bromwich and Junction 2 for Oldbury at around 10am on Saturday.
It was one of two serious incidents to cause long delays, with a lorry fire on the M6 southbound near Stafford holding up drivers. Traffic had to be fully stopped between junctions 14 and 13 after the lorry caught fire at around 3pm.
Police, paramedics and fire crews were all sent to the scene on the M5 where they found a mangled Honda Civic straddling the central reservation near an articulated lorry which had moved from the southbound to the northbound carriageway.
Every driver and passenger managed to get out by themselves and nobody was reported to have been injured, although four people from the Honda Civic were taken to hospital to be checked over.
Photos taken by fire crews at the scene showed major damage to the Civic, particularly on the passenger side, while the front of the Owens lorry was also damaged and the central reservation was destroyed.
The road was not fully reopened until 5pm as the aftermath of the crash was cleared and the central reservation repaired.
There were initially delays of around an hour in both directions on the M5, with traffic backed up to the M6 for drivers heading south and to Halesowen at Junction 3 for northbound motorists.
A spokeswoman for West Midlands Fire Service said: "We were called at 10.08am to reports of a collision on the M5 northbound.
"Crews from Smethwick, Ward End and Oldbury were in attendance at the scene, where an articulated lorry had left the southbound carriageway and come to rest on the inside lane of the northbound.
"There was also a car which has come to rest in the section of the central reservation, with all occupants out of the vehicles before the crews arrived.
The motorway was initially reduced to one lane in both directions before the northbound carriageway was temporarily closed completely to allow the vehicles to be removed.
The northbound entry slip road was also closed at Junction 2 while the recovery took place.
There were delays on surrounding roads, with congestion particularly affecting Birchley Island at Junction 2, the West Bromwich Interchange at Junction 1 and the A456 Quinton Expressway at Junction 3.
Highways England, which reopened the northbound carriageway at around 4.45pm and the southbound route around 15 minutes later, thanked drivers for their patience.
A spokeswoman for West Midlands Police said: "We were called just after 10am this morning after a lorry crashed into the central reservation on the M5 southbound between junction 1 and 2.
"A Honda Civic was also involved in the collision.
"No one has been seriously injured, but the occupants of the Honda have been taken to hospital to be checked over."
