Three people die in multi-vehicle crash on A1(M) in County Durham as police make arrest

Emergency services were called to the northbound carriageway of the A1(M) at Bowburn on Thursday, July 15 at 6.20pm after receiving reports of a multi-vehicle collision.

The incident involved four cars and two lorries, one of which had caught fire as a result of the collision.

In a statement on Thursday, Durham Constabulary said that there appeared to be fatalities in the aftermath of the incident.

Today (Friday, July 16) in a new statement, officers have confirmed that two men and one woman tragically died at the scene.

The force said that formal identification is expected to take some time, but the families of those involved have been informed and are being supported by specially-trained officers.

A 41-year-old man, the driver of one of the lorries, has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. He currently remains in police custody.

It was also confirmed that several other people were injured in the collision, with a further two requiring hospital treatment.

It is understood that work is still ongoing at the scene to safely recover evidence and remove the vehicles. The road will be closed to members of the public for the rest of the day.

Detective Superintendent Dave Ashton, who is leading the investigation, has requested that people do not share images of the collision out of dignity and respect for those who lost their lives.

He commented: “This was a harrowing incident for everyone involved and our thoughts are with the family and friends of those who have lost their loved ones.

“It has been incredibly upsetting and distressing for those who witnessed the collision, and for the emergency responders, including police officers, firefighters and paramedics, who attended the scene.

“We would therefore ask that people refrain from sharing photographs and videos from the collision out of dignity and respect for those who have lost their lives.

“This will be an extremely complex and lengthy investigation as the site of the collision is spread over some distance, and many of the vehicles involved have been severely damaged.

“The road will remain closed for the rest of the day to allow for specialist collision investigators to work at the scene and to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.

“The road will also need to be assessed for damage prior to reopening to ensure the safety of future road users. Therefore, motorists should avoid the area and plan ahead if they need to travel.

“We understand the significant disruption that this incident has caused, and would like to thank people for their patience, understanding and cooperation while we work at the scene.”

An online portal has been set up by police to allow people to submit information in relation to the incident, as well as dashcam footage and photographs.

To submit material, please visit https://mipp.police.uk and click on the Durham Constabulary tile – there is an upload limit of 700mb on multimedia files.

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