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Five people including two children have been killed in a horrific motorway crash with a third youngster rushed to hospital.
Cumbria Police are appealing for witnesses to the fatal collision on the M6 Northbound past Tebay Services yesterday.
The motorway was closed for nearly 12 hours overnight but reopened in the early hours of this morning.
Pictures shared by drivers on the road show long traffic jams leading up to the crash site where grey smoke can be seen billowing into the air.
An eyewitness described the huge emergency service response to the scene saying there was ‘lots of black smoke’.
The collision involved two vehicles – a Skoda and a Toyota.
Five people including two children have been killed in a horrific motorway crash with a third youngster rushed to hospital. This image is taken by a driver on the road as smoke can be seen billowing from the crash site
An eyewitness described the huge emergency service response to the scene saying there was ‘lots of black smoke’
This picture (taken by a traffic camera) shows the traffic build up following the collision on the M6 Northbound
One of the traffic cameras on the M6 shows where traffic was being directed towards Kendal. The road re-opened in the early hours of this morning
The driver of the Skoda, a man from Cambridgeshire was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The driver, a man, a woman and two children of the Toyota from Glasgow also died in the horror smash at around 4pm on Tuesday.
A third child in the Toyota was flown by air ambulance to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle with serious injuries.
The families of those involved are being supported by specially trained officers.
Writing to X they said: ‘Something serious happening on the M6 northbound, just passed Tebay services.
‘Loads of blue lights going up the hard shoulder can see lots of black smoke and looks like the air ambulance has just come in as well. I really do hope everyone’s ok’.
A National Highways spokesperson said: ‘The incident happened just after 4pm yesterday afternoon on the M6 between junction 38 and junction 39. The air ambulance did attend.
‘As did NWAS, Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service, Cumbria Police and National Highways traffic officers.
‘The northbound M6 was closed from junction 36 for diversion purposes. The northbound carriageway re-opened shortly before 4am this morning.’
A spokesperson for Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service said four fire engines dispatched from Penrith, Kendal and Shap were dispatched to the scene.
Crews stayed at the crash site for ‘several hours’ and used ‘two breathing apparatus and a hose reel jet’ in their rescue efforts.
Yesterday a statement on Cumbria Constabulary website read: ‘The M6 Northbound is closed from J36 to J39. Officers were called to the incident at 4:04pm today.
‘The road may be closed for some time, drivers are asked to seek alternative routes.’