Several people have died after a crash involving a police vehicle and a passenger car near Middlesbrough in northeast England early on Saturday, authorities said.
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The collision took place at around 3.39am on the A66 in the South Bank area, east of Middlesbrough, news agency Reuters reported citing Cleveland Police.
The crash involved a police vehicle and a Volkswagen Passat, while North East Ambulance Service said three vehicles were involved in total.
“Sadly, the collision has resulted in multiple fatalities,” a Cleveland Police spokesperson said, adding that officers were working to identify the victims and contact their families.
The A66 has been closed in both directions between Normanby Road and Church Lane, with motorists advised to take alternative routes.
Police said the road would remain shut for some time as emergency services continued to respond to the incident.
According to the BBC, 14 ambulances were called to the scene following the crash. The North East Ambulance Service said that despite the efforts of those attending the incident, several patients died at the scene.
“We send condolences to all of those affected by such a tragic event and thank everyone for all they did to help,” the ambulance service said.
Significant emergency response
Police said a significant number of emergency service vehicles remained at the scene and described the situation as a “quickly evolving incident”.
“We are working to identify the victims and contact their families,” Cleveland Police said, urging members of the public to avoid speculation while investigations continued.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the number of people killed or provided further details about the circumstances that led to the collision.
The incident occurred on a major route near Middlesbrough, prompting a significant emergency response in the early hours of Saturday.
Investigations are ongoing, and further details are expected after the victims are formally identified and their families informed.
