A14 reopens after eight-vehicle smash

LANE closures on the A14 were removed today after a massive clean-up operation to clear the mangled wreckage and debris caused by a fatal collision involving eight vehicles.

Police reopened all lanes of the A14 near Girton, Cambridgeshire, at about 7.45am today, more than 24 hours after the crash, which left a 21-year-old man from Alconbury dead.

The road was closed for more than 12 hours after three lorries, four cars and a Ford Transit van were involved in the crash at about 7.30am yesterday.

Two of the lorries were left lying on their sides, one across both carriageways, after the collision and one of the cars burst into flames.

A 61-year-old man who was driving a white Renault articulated lorry and a 34-year-old man in a white Fiat Uno both suffered slight injuries in the accident and were taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, for treatment.

The accident forced the closure of the A14 from the accident scene one mile east of Girton as far east as Newmarket, with traffic diverted towards the M11, causing huge tailbacks.

A spokeswoman for Cambridgeshire Police said: "This collision was extremely serious and unfortunately one person has died.

"The severity of the crash forced vehicles into the other carriageway."

A formal identification of the man who died in the accident is expected today.

A lorry driver also died yesterday afternoon when his vehicle was involved in a collision with another truck on the A11 close to the A134 roundabout in Thetford at about 1.10pm.

Police said it appeared a lorry had been slowing in a queue of traffic on the approach to the roundabout when it was struck from behind by a Mercedes lorry and was pushed about 40ft along the carriageway.

The driver of the Mercedes, whose identity has not been released, died at the scene.

The driver of the first lorry suffered only minor injuries.

The A11 was closed between the accident scene and the A1075 while the wreckage was cleared from the carriageway.

Anyone with information about the A14 accident should call Cambridgeshire Police on 01480 456111, and for the A11 crash contact Norfolk Police on 01953 424242.