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In my opinion the fire service needed the most hands on they could get, from people blocking the scene and making sure the trucks are close enough to put the fire out and getting equipment out to cut people out of vehicles. they did do amazingly, the tasks they faced were extreme. They will work in a triage system when getting people out of vehicle, working very closely with the ambulances service.

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The ambulance service as always confirm the fatalities, in this case they had to be patient as it wasn't clear wether or not there would be more than 7 deaths, while they were waiting for the fire service to put the fire out, they went to other vehicles using triage system checking them out getting people out if they felt they were able to.

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At the scene the police first concerns are the public around the incident and making sure the right service turn up as quickly as possible to deal with the incident itself, the police come in to play when all of the casualties are gone, the traffic is diverted and they have witness statements from as many people as they can from, the southbound and northbound. At the point of investigation they will also be getting in contact with the people from the fire works display which we later find out was a cause along with weather. After speaking to a retired police officer i now that they also got in contact with the durham constabulary about a similar incident that happened two years earlier, which involved fog and fireworks, there was one fatality at this particular incident, the reason for meeting was because of the similarities in weather but there investigation led to it just being the weather and the M5 taunton was a collaboration of both.

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The fire service were sent onto the M5 northbound driving on the hard shoulder until they reached the incident passing the traffic to were the fire was which was the back of the pile up. This decision was made by the police and the call handlers, from the information they could see and were passing to call handlers this was the best angle to get the trucks where they needed to be to put the fire out. The fire service where there for fire reason but also because there were 27 vehicles that people needed to be rescued from.

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The ambulance were the last on the scene and were sent in by the call handlers in the same way the fire service were, along the hard shoulder. Once getting to the scene and they were filled in on what is going on by the police and were to start they went on to examine the cars quickly but efficiently reminding the casualties that they are going to do the best they can in getting them out and sent to a hospital. The weather became a struggle for the ambulance and it was not safe for them to get the air ambulance out to help with transferring casualties.

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In a collision the polices main job at the scene is to preserves the area while diverting traffic/closing the road and investigating the cause of the collision. They all make sure all the right services are there as they are most likely to be the first at any scene. The first and for most is always going to be diverting the traffic and cordoning of the incident, preventing more incidents and allowing the services to get to work while traffic is moved on.

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The public services that were involved took control over the whole of the M5 north and south bound. The two roads were closed into the following day where further investigation from the police and the fire service took place. On the night all of the services worked to the there best standards in the conditions of the sky fire service getting people out of vehicles safely, police serving the area and the ambulances taking the casualties to the nearest hospital or specialist hospitals they needed to be at

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In reports i can see that there were no agencies such as the salvation army came to the scene but all of the case studies i have read talked about the heroism from people at the scene, who if they could tried there hardest to help other members of the public.

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C - Seven people confirmed dead at the scene and 51 injured.
H - There was a lot of debris from the fire of the vehicles and during the night there was very limited site due to the fire of the crash and fog/fireworks.
A - There was traffic, all public services where there within ten minutes and by this time the traffic was at a stand still.
L - M5 junction 25 northbound
E - All emergency services were required, police fire, ambulance.
T - Incident due to man kind and natural, the sky generally foggy that night and also fog from fireworks meant low visibility causing the crash.

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Seven people have been killed and 51 injured in a 34-vehicle pile-up on the M5 in Somerset, and police fear the death toll may rise.

Officers said Friday night's crash, which happened close to junction 25 northbound at about 20:30 GMT, led to a "massive fireball" at the scene.

The cause of the crash is not clear but the road was wet and foggy in patches.

People concerned about relatives who may have been involved in the crash should call 0800 092 0410.

Earlier reports said more than 10 were feared dead and officers said some bodies may not yet have been recovered from the charred vehicles.

'Horrific scene'

Britain's worst road crashes

20 October 2008: Family-of-six killed in crash on the M6.

7 May 2007: Six people killed on the M25 when a rescue truck carrying a minibus collides with a lorry.

10 July 2003: Seven people killed when a minibus collides with a car on the M56.

17 November 1993: Crash on the M40 leaves 12 children dead.

March 13 1991: Ten people killed in a 51-car pile-up on the M4.

28 October 1987: Truck collides with stationary traffic on the M61 killing 12 people.

21 October 1985: Coach collides with stationary traffic on the M6 killing 13 people.

27 May 1975: Coach carrying pensioners comes off bridge in North Yorkshire, killing 32 people, in Britain's worst ever road accident.

Of the injured, 25 were taken to Yeovil District Hospital; 17 of the more seriously injured are being treated at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton; and nine were treated at the scene.

Twenty-three of those taken to Yeovil have now been discharged.

The motorway is closed between junction 24 for Bridgwater and junction 25 for Taunton and will remain shut until at least Sunday morning.

After the crash, motorists suffered five-and-a-half hour delays on the M5, as traffic backed up for miles.

Assistant Chief Constable Anthony Bangham, of Avon and Somerset Police, appealed for witnesses to contact the police to aid what he said would be a "very thorough investigation" into the crash.

He said the crash scene was "horrific" and there would now be a multi-agency "forensic examination" of the area, where many vehicles were burned to the ground.

"The incident was very, very challenging and on arrival crews were faced with literally one massive fireball," he added.

"Most vehicles were well alight and most continued to burn for a considerable time."

Police could not confirm the age or sex of the dead, but Mr Bangham told reporters four of the casualties were in one vehicle.

Motorists who used the road before the crash said there was standing water on parts of the carriageway, following a day of heavy rain in the county.

Police said they would be investigating whether appropriate safety measures were in place regarding a fireworks display which was taking place at Taunton Rugby Club near the motorway.

The club have made no comment on reports that bonfire smoke may have drifted onto the carriageway, but confirmed the display took place between 20:00 and 20:15 GMT.

At the scene

For much of the day the six lanes of motorway have been eerily silent on the stretch of the M5 surrounding the accident.

The emergency services have been busy measuring and photographing the scene to try to piece together what caused this horrific crash.

Now their blue flashing lights have been joined by orange ones as vehicle recovery trucks have moved in, waiting to carry away the wreckage.

Two private ambulances have driven towards the scene as the painstaking forensic search continues.

Tom Hamill, of Wells, who witnessed the accident, said: "I'd slowed right down and had veered into the central reservation and I think that saved our lives - the fog lifted and I saw utter carnage.

"The thing that made me realise how bad it was, was you could hear the thud of cars hitting into lorries: One car overtook us going at about 60 or 70 miles an hour and just crashed straight into a lorry.

"I could hear people screaming and shouting. One woman who was carrying a baby and child was desperate - I helped the child over the central reservation and we all just tried to get as far away from the fire as possible."

Motorist James Spurling, of High Wycombe, said: "I had just passed the spot where the accident happened just before 8:30.

"I, along with a car on the inside lane, had to brake very sharply as we both hit a solid wall of white that came out of nowhere.

"The visibility was instantly down to less than three metres and I would say was approximately 200 yards thick, once out the other side it was completely clear."

Transport Secretary Justine Greening said it was too early to consider what measures could be taken to prevent similar accidents.

Paying tribute to "real acts of heroism" by emergency crews, she said: "Our hearts are with the people who have been affected by this."

Traffic is being diverted via the A38 but heavy queues are reported on the route and police are advising people to avoid the area entirely if possible.

North Petherton Carnival, which was due to be held just to the north of the crash site on Saturday night, has been cancelled as a mark of respect.

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Seven people have been killed and 51 injured in a 34-vehicle pile-up on the M5 in Somerset, and police fear the death toll may rise. Officers said Friday night's crash, which happened close to junction 25 northbound at about 20:30 GMT, led to a "massive fireball" at the scene.

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Mr Speaker with permission I should like to make a statement to update the house about the serious collision on the M5 motorway in Somerset on Friday evening on 4 November 2011.

As the House will be aware, at approximately 8:25pm on Friday evening a road traffic collision occurred on the M5 northbound in Somerset involving multiple vehicles. Some of these vehicles subsequently caught fire. The incident occurred between junction 25 Taunton and junction 24 Bridgwater North, approximately a third of a mile north of junction 25.

The emergency services and the Highways Agency responded to the incident immediately, and therefore a large number of emergency services vehicles and resources were able to attend the scene very quickly. At approximately 9pm Avon & Somerset police declared a major incident based on the numbers of casualties and vehicles involved.

Due to the nature of the incident scene it took some time to confirm exactly how many people and vehicles were involved in the collision. Avon and Somerset police have now confirmed that 37 vehicles were involved in the collision. Tragically, 7 people lost their lives. A further 51 people were injured and were either treated at Musgrove Park Hospital, Yeovil District Hospital or at the scene.

I would like to again offer my - and I'm sure the House's - condolences to those who have lost friends or families in this horrific crash, as well our thoughts for those who have been injured. The families of those who lost their lives are being supported by specially trained family liaison officers from Avon & Somerset police who will continue to work with them as long as they are needed.

Police investigations on the motorway were completed at 10 past 4 on Sunday (6 Nov) and the scene was handed over to the Highways Agency and its contractors to begin repairs to the carriageway. The collision incident had caused a significant amount of damage to the highway; a stretch of 40 metres of road was damaged by fuel spillage from vehicles and a stretch of 60 metres was damaged by intense fire. Two lanes of the southbound carriageway reopened yesterday at 20 past 5, and following extensive resurfacing works, all lanes on the northbound carriageway reopened shortly before 9pm. The final remaining lane closure on the southbound carriageway was removed at 9.25pm last night, and the road is now running in both directions.

The Roads Minister visited the scene of the incident on Saturday, and I was there myself yesterday. I was tremendously impressed by the determination and professionalism of staff from the emergency services - police, fire crews and ambulance staff - local hospitals and the Highways Agency, working with real dedication in the most difficult of circumstances. Our efforts to deal with the scene also involved the Environment Agency. The way in which all these agencies were able to work together highly effectively was critical in ensuring those involved in the accident were helped and treated speedily. I pay tribute to Assistant Chief Constable Anthony Bangham who, as gold commander, led those efforts.

It was a harrowing and painstaking task for all concerned to deal with this incident and I would like to take this opportunity to massively thank all those involved for their efforts and bravery, including individual members of the public who were passing or near the incident (some of whom tried to help those trapped in vehicles). I would particularly like to pay tribute to the local community, people and businesses, in and around Taunton. From local people and hotels offering to accommodate relatives of those injured and members of the public offering support, to local off duty hospital staff turning up to their hospital to help provide care, it was humbling and inspiring to see how selflessly so many people were willing to offer their support to others who needed it.

It would be a mistake at this very early stage to speculate about the causes of the collision. Investigations into the cause of the crash are still at a very early stage. To put that in context the recovery phase only just finished yesterday and it is only today that the investigation phase becomes the key focus. While Avon and Somerset police have indicated that the presence of smoke on the carriageway is a significant line of inquiry, Assistant Chief Constable Bangham has been clear to me that, in his words to me earlier today, it is 'far too early' to jump to conclusions on the causal factors of this incident. Our first priority now must be to ensure that the police are able to conduct a comprehensive and thorough investigation of the crash.

As I said, earlier today I spoke to the Assistant Chief Constable, Anthony Bangham, whose Avon and Somerset force are leading the ongoing investigation. He told me that, given the large number of vehicles involved, the need to carefully look at the vehicles recovered and of course to talk to the many witnesses, it may be some weeks until the investigation can conclude on the cause or causes of this incident. The police continue to appeal for witnesses, and I encourage anyone with any information to contact the police directly on 101 or by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 500 111.

Mr Speaker I would like to emphasise to the House the extremely high priority that I attach to road safety. The UK has a proud tradition as a world leader on road safety and that is a tradition that I am determined to continue. Although the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads has fallen dramatically over the last 20 years the horrific crash on Friday has reminded us of the terrible personal consequences of collisions for motorists and local communities. This government published earlier this year a road safety framework which commits us to a range of activities which will help us to do even better in future.

We will of course take full account of any lessons from this terrible collision in developing our future policies, and supporting the future safe travel of our people. The safety of our roads also requires effective partnership working across a wide range of organisations - national and local government, police and emergency services and many others. We need to work effectively together if we are to do the best job we can of ensuring people stay safe on our roads.

Over the coming weeks, and going beyond any lessons that may be learned from this particular incident, I will be considering carefully our forward plans on road safety, to ensure that we have the right measures in place to deliver real and urgent progress with tackling the continuing blight of death and injury on our roads.

I commend this statement to the House.

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Mr Speaker with permission I should like to make a statement to update the house about the serious collision on the M5 motorway in Somerset on Friday evening on 4 November 2011. As the House will be aware, at approximately 8:25pm on Friday evening a road traffic collision occurred on the M5 northbound in Somerset involving multiple vehicles.

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Evaluate the inter-agency cooperation of the emergency response services.

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Assess the roles and responsibilities of the key services attending an emergency incident.

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Explain the roles and responsibilities of the public services when attending the scene of an emergency incident.

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Identify the statutory and voluntary agencies who may work together at the scene of an emergency incident.