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Dozens are feared injured after a huge crash involving at least 15 cars near Gatwick Airport this evening.
Police confirmed there are ‘multiple casualties’ after the vehicles collided on the M23 in Sussex between Crawley and Horsham just before Friday’s rush hour.
The motorway has been shut in both directions after torrential rain and a hail storm hit the area, which one witness said turned the road into an ‘ice rink’.
South East Coast Ambulances are at the scene attending to the injured after being called at 5.40 as Sussex Police urge people to ‘avoid the area’.
Friday night rush hour traffic was brought to a standstill in both directions of the motorway that links London to Brighton between Junctions 10 and 11.
The devastating smash occurs as heavy rain continues to lash the south coast.
Photos of the scene show several cars turned about with significant damage and some seem to have been pushed off the road into a nearby ditch.
A spokesperson for Sussex Police said: ‘The M23 is closed both ways between J10 and J11 after a collision involving around 15 vehicles.
‘Emergency services were called at 5.40pm and the ambulance service is treating multiple casualties.
‘Please avoid the area and expect disruption.’
Sussex Police said the M23 southbound has now re-opened to traffic but continued to urge drivers to avoid the area. Junctions 10 and 11 northbound remain shut.
The South East Coast Ambulance Service confirmed that four people have been taken to hospital with ‘non life-threatening injuries’.
About 34 people are being assessed for minor injuries at the scene and a triage response at the K2 Leisure Centre in Crawley has been set up to treat them.
An eyewitness counted 24 vehicles were damaged in the smash, ITV Meridian reported.
Roger Williams, who was driving down the M23 when the pile-up happened, told The Argus it is the worst he has seen in 62 years.
He told the news outlet it looked like over ’30 cars’ are smashed, with ‘vans on their sides’ and a minibus ‘upside down’.
He added: ‘I counted five facing wrong way after spinning, but the whole carriageway covered in debris.
‘There was a hail storm. The carriageway was covered in two inches of ice and people were speeding through it.’
Commenting on X/Twitter, one witness said: ‘I was also driving southbound just after it happened and it was scary seeing cars and vans everywhere, and what looked like slush over the carriageway.
‘Terrifying to see and don’t think I’ve ever driven home so carefully after that… Hope everyone is ok.’
Another posted on X and said the road looked like an ‘ice rink’.
A spokesperson from South East Coast Ambulance service told ITV Meridian: ‘We remain at the scene of a multi-vehicle RTC on the M23 between junction 10 and 11. We are assessing and treating multiple casualties and urge people to avoid the area.’
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
