Dozens injured in multi-car crash on U.K. highway

A huge crash involving 26 vehicles on a highway in southwest England killed several people and injured dozens, British authorities said on Friday.

About 35 injuries were reported, ten of which appeared to be severe, and several people were killed, Avon and Somerset Police said in a statement.

Video shown on British news channels showed balls of fire emerging from trucks and billowing smoke at the scene.

Paul Slaven, a fire department official from the region, told the BBC that the pile-up Friday evening on the M5 highway involved 20 cars and six trucks. He said the incident was the “worst road traffic collision anyone can remember” in the area.

It was not immediately clear what caused the accident.

The affected section of the busy highway has been closed in both directions as fire and emergency services worked to free people trapped in their cars.