5 police cars involved in horror crash during chase

Five people have been rushed to hospital after a police chase went catastrophically wrong, leaving at least five police cars wrecked and a major dual carriageway shut.

A section of the A1 near Denton, Newcastle, remains closed in both directions following the multi-vehicle collision on the northbound carriageway shortly before 2:30 am on Wednesday.

Shocking pictures of the aftermath show four damaged marked police cars and one unmarked police vehicle completely turned on its side.

A black BMW was also involved in the crash, which has left one police car without its roof and three of its doors, while others have smashed windows and parts scattered across all three lanes.

Glass and debris remain scattered across the road while crash investigators have been sent to the scene of the pile-up.

Five people were taken to hospital for further treatment, confirmed the North East Ambulance Service. National Highways said the crash resulted in ‘serious injuries.’

The road between junctions 73 and 75 is expected to remain shut beyond rush hour and into the afternoon while police investigations are carried out.

Meanwhile, Newcastle Airport has warned anyone travelling to the airport this morning to allow ‘additional time’ following the collision.

The A-road is a key route to the airport, which is expected to be busy due to the Easter holidays. 

There are major delays on the surrounding roads, with heavy congestion on the nearby Scotswood Road and other areas of the A1.

Traffic is also particularly bad coming in and out of the Newcastle city centre due to the proximity of the collision. 

There are delays of 45 minutes, said National Highways, with currently four miles of congestion northbound and one mile of congestion southbound.

As there is no official diversion route for the section of the A1, nearby roads are being heavily affected, particularly the A19 to the east of Newcastle, added the highways agency.

It is not yet known when the road will reopen, with officers from the Forensic Collision Investigation Unit currently on the scene. 

The circumstances that lead to the crash and the conditions of those taken to hospital are not currently known, but it is said that ‘serious injuries’ were sustained. 

A North East Ambulance Service spokesperson said: ‘We received a call at 2:29 am on Wednesday 9 April to reports of a road traffic collision on the A1 northbound near Denton, Newcastle. 

‘We dispatched five ambulance crews, a specialist paramedic, a duty officer, two crews from our Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) and requested support from our colleagues at the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) who attended by road. 

‘Five patients were transported to hospital for further treatment.’

When approached, the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) said that the incident has not been referred to the watchdog.

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: ‘Shortly before 2:30 am today (Wednesday), we received a report of a multi-vehicle collision on the A1 northbound near the Derwent Haugh Road junction, Gateshead. 

‘Emergency services are currently in attendance. 

‘A section of the road is closed in both directions – there are diversions in place from the Derwent Haugh Road junction northbound and the A69 roundabout southbound. 

‘Motorists should use alternative routes where possible.’ 

A Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: ‘We can confirm that in the early hours of Wednesday morning (April 9), five fire appliances and two officers attended a road traffic collision in Newcastle.

‘Our control room team received an emergency call from Northumbria Police for assistance at 2:29 am, and crews from Gosforth, Newcastle Central, Swalwell and West Denton Community Fire Stations were dispatched to a location on the A1 northbound near to Denton Burn. 

‘Our firefighters assisted blue light colleagues from Northumbia Police and North East Ambulance Service during the multiple-vehicle incident. Crews left the scene at 3:51 am.’

National Highways said the A1 will be closed in both directions between Swalwell in Gateshead and Denton in both directions into Wednesday afternoon.

In a statement on its website, National Highways said: ‘A multi-vehicle collision resulting in serious injuries occurred at approximately 2:30 am this morning (Wednesday, April 9).

‘Due to the severity of the collision, a full Northumbria Police investigation is under way, and they advise that it will be protracted.

‘The road is expected to remain closed in both directions into the afternoon of Wednesday, April 9.’