Major motorway shut nearly 24 hours after major eight-vehicle crash

Daily Record

5 days ago

The eight-vehicle crash involving several lorries, spilled beer barrels and leaking diesel brought traffic to a standstill.
One of the UK's major motorways remains completely closed nearly 24 hours after a serious multi-vehicle collision left a trail of distruction.
The incident has affected the M60 which remains closed in both directions on Tuesday morning, causing widespread disruption in Greater Manchester, reports Manchester Evening News.
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The crash, which involved eight vehicles – including four HGVs and four cars – happened shortly before 11.30am on Monday, July 7, between junction 27 at the Portwood roundabout and junction 1 near the Stockport Pyramid.
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Emergency services rushed to the scene and quickly shut down both sides of the motorway to deal with the wreckage. Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that three fire engines from Offerton, Whitehill and Hyde stations, along with a specialist rescue unit from Leigh, were dispatched.
Firefighters arrived to find a chaotic scene. One of the lorries had crashed through the central reservation, striking several lamp columns as it crossed into the opposite carriageway.
Another HGV shed its load of beer barrels, which scattered across the road, causing further obstruction and hazards. There were also reports of several ruptured fuel tanks leaking diesel, adding to the danger and complicating clean-up efforts.
A spokesperson for the fire service said: 'At around 11.30am on Monday, July 7, crews attended a crash involving three HGVs and three cars on the M60, spanning both clockwise and anticlockwise carriageways. Crews arrived quickly to make the three cars safe. Three of the nine casualties involved were transferred to Stepping Hill Hospital for minor injuries. Firefighters remained in attendance for approximately three hours.'
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Despite the scale of the crash and the significant damage to the vehicles and surrounding infrastructure, no serious injuries have been reported.
As of Tuesday morning, the M60 remains completely closed between junctions 25 (Bredbury) and 1 (Stockport), with both directions affected. National Highways has confirmed that emergency works are still ongoing, including debris removal, recovery of the damaged HGVs, repairs to the central reservation and lighting, and a thorough clean-up of the diesel spill.
In an update issued earlier today, National Highways said: 'REMINDER: The #M60 in #GreaterManchester remains closed in both directions between J25 and J1 near #Stockport #Bredbury following a multi-vehicle collision. Emergency works remain ongoing.'
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On Monday, they warned that the motorway could be closed 'for a substantial amount of time' due to the severity of the damage and the complex recovery operation required.
Drivers have been urged to plan ahead and avoid the area, with long tailbacks reported on surrounding routes as traffic diverts away from the closure. Congestion has been especially heavy through Stockport, Bredbury and surrounding towns, affecting both local journeys and longer commutes.
The full extent of the infrastructure damage is still being assessed, and it's not yet clear when the motorway will reopen.