Two teens killed after car crashes off bridge and hits minibus on motorway
Two teenagers have died after a car plunged off a bridge and crashed into a minibus on the motorway below.
Emergency services attended the scene of the collision on the M1 near junction 20 in Leicestershire yesterday afternoon.
The two teenagers were in a blue car driving on Gilmorton Lane towards Lutterworth at around 1.30pm when it crashed off a bridge and into traffic travelling below, Leicestershire Police said.
The car collided with a white Fiat Ducato driving southbound on the M1.
Four people in the minibus were taken to hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
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The driver, a man, has been discharged, but the passengers, three women, remain in the hospital.
Both teenagers were pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
Drivers were held in hours of traffic on Friday and are expected to face further delays on Saturday as the road remains closed while police carry out forensic work.
In a Facebook post by Leicestershire Police, those who were travelling on or live close to the motorway shared their sadness about the teenagers’ deaths.
One user commented, ‘How very sad, I was stuck for 6 hours on the M1 today, but would stay for another 6 hours if the people involved could have been saved.’
Another wrote: ‘We passed just after it had happened before the roads were closed and as the emergency services started to arrive. It was a very sad scene indeed.’
A person who lives near the fire station said: ‘My heart breaks for the families of the victims. I live close to Southern fire station and knew something terrible had happened as I heard so many appliances leaving heading down the motorway.’
The force has urged anyone with information or dashcam footage to contact police.
Leicestershire Police said: ‘The road is likely to remain closed for a number of hours yet while forensic work continues to be carried out.
‘Leicestershire Police would like to hear from anyone who was driving on Gilmorton Lane or on the M1 in the area of junction 20 – in both directions – at around 1.30pm on Friday afternoon.
‘Anyone with dashcam footage or who car either vehicle before the collision is asked to contact us.’
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