Cleveland Police have said there are ‘multiple fatalities’ after a collision on the A66 near Middlesbrough following a police pursuit of a ‘suspicious vehicle’.
The crash, involving a police vehicle and a Volkswagen Passat, prompted a “significant” emergency response from across the North East of England.
Authorities have yet to confirm how many people have died at the scene.
The vehicle is believed to have travelled onto the A66 in South Bank where it collided with the police car. The A66 is closed in both directions between Normanby Road and Church Lane.
A large white tent has been erected over the scene. Police have cordoned off the section of the A66.
Ambulance Response
North East Ambulance Service said: “We were called to a serious road traffic incident involving two vehicles on the A66 at South Bank at 3.39am. We sent 14 ambulance resources at the scene, including emergency ambulance crews, a specialist paramedic, our hazardous area response team and a doctor from Great North Air Ambulance Service. Sadly despite the best efforts of everyone attending, a number of 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.”
In a statement, Cleveland Police said: “Around 3.39am this morning, a collision took place involving a police vehicle and a Volkswagen Passat on the A66 in South bank. Sadly, the collision has resulted in multiple fatalities. There are significant emergency vehicles on the scene, and the road will remain closed for some time. We are working to identify the victims and contact their families.” Police have said ‘this is a quickly evolving incident and we ask members of the public to respectfully avoid speculation’.
