Eight people have been seriously injured in a massive pile-up of more than 100 vehicles in thick fog on the Sheppey Crossing this morning. Sixty other people have also suffered minor injuries in the horrific crash, with more than 30 taken to hospital. As many as 120 others are believed to be among the walking wounded as harrowing witness accounts emerged. Firefighters cut five people free from their vehicles after two accidents on the A249 and on the new bridge at about 7.15am. The mangled wreckage of cars, vans, lorries and several car transporters was left strewn across the carriageway as the walking wounded were led away from the scene. A major emergency operation is under way, with dozens of fire engines, ambulances and police cars on the scene. A total of 33 patients - eight with potentially serious injuries - have been taken to hospital. Around 200 people were being assessed at the scene, where South East Coast Ambulance Service has around 30 vehicles - including 19 ambulances - and a hazardous area response team. A spokesman said "most of these" would not need to be taken to hospital. Medway Maritime Hospital has closed to new patients because of the disaster and health bosses are advising people to go to walk-in centres instead. One driver, who was travelling off the island before the accident happened, said some motorists were "driving like idiots" despite the thick fog. Witness Martin Stammers, 45, from Minster, said: "It's horrific. I've never seen anything like it in my life. "All you could hear was cars crashing. We got out of our car and it was eerily quiet with visibility down to just 20 yards. "Then you would hear the screeching of brakes and then a thud. It was all you could hear for about 10 minutes - crash after crash after crash. He added: "The whole top of the bridge is full of mangled cars and lorries. There are cars with their roofs ripped off - one is five feet in the air. There were a lot of people trapped. "We managed to stop safely in time before the accident, but if we'd have been 10 seconds earlier we'd have been involved." Mr Stammers said he and his son James then ran to the other side of the carriageway and signalled to people to slow down. Police confirmed there were two collisions, one on the bridge and another just before on the Sheppey side. Motorists were urged to avoid the area, with the crossing shut in both directions between the Key Street roundabout and the Bobbing roundabout. Sheppey bridge crash involves 100 vehicles Pile-up involving 100 cars on Isle of Sheppey A249 crossing results Sheppey Crossing closed after dozens of vehicles in massive pile Sheppey crash: "There are injuries" Sheppey Bridge Crash: 'Mystery Lorry Driver' Hailed By Witnesses 200 people injured as over 100 cars crash in Britain Sheppey crash: more than 100 vehicles in pile-up in misty Isle of Sheppey crossing crash: 100 car pile-up amid thick fog Sheppey Crossing closed after dozens of vehicles in massive pile Aftermath of the accident on the Sheppey Crossing bridge Sheppey Crash: 100 Cars Collide On Bridge Kent pile-up: Dozens hurt as cars crash on Sheppey crossing Sheppey Crossing Crash: Witness Describes Horror Of 100-Vehicle 100 cars involved in New Sheppey Crossing crash Car Crashes and Chase Scenes,Sheppey,Sheppey Crash,UK NEWS,Kent,Road Crash,Misty Weather,Car Crash,Chase Scenes,Crash,United Kingdom,Isle,Sheppey bridge crash,Pile-up,Sheppey A249 crossing,Sheppey Crossing,200 people injured,Kent pile-up,Sheppey Crossing Crash,Sheppey Horror Crash,pile-up in misty,pile-up amid thick fog,Kent Firefighters,Medway Maritime Hospital,Britain car Crash,Britain 100 car Crash,Britain,Car Crash Witnesses,Witnesses

• published: 05 Sep 2013
• views: 4