Everybody has bad days. Nothing goes your way. Everyone has the wrong opinion. The lane you’re driving is always the slowest moving. And then there are days when you find yourself in a 34 car pileup.

The biggest motor accident in Britain happened on Guy Fawkes night at 20h30 on the M5 highway. The crash has been blamed on heavily adverse weather conditions, and is said have been caused by an Iceland truck which disappeared into thick fog on the motorway, resulting in car after car colliding into each other. This set off a massive fireball which could be seen for miles away. Puddles of fuel ignited as cars collided into the carnage. In total, 34 vehicles were involved in the accident. That’s a small parking area.

As yet, no statistics have been released, although 51 people are suspected to be injured in what is being referred to as the “worst traffic accident anyone can remember.”

An investigation has also been launched into the role that may have been played by all the smoke from the various bonfires lit in the area in celebration of Guy Fawkes. Meteorologists have said that the debris from large bonfires could have caused large fog particles to form, obstructing vision on the motorway. This, coupled with motorists being distracted by the fireworks display at the nearby Taunton Rugby Club, may have been the cause of the pile-up.

The aftermath

The event was advertised with the slogan: “Help our fireworks make a big bang.”

[Source: Daily Mail]