M20 bridge collapse: Motorway horror as bridge crashes down on top of vehicles in Kent

Hatty Collier27 August 2016

A bridge collapsed on top of vehicles today after it was struck by a lorry on a major motorway on one of the busiest travel days of the year.

Motorists looked on in horror as the footbridge came crashing down on to the M20 in Kent this afternoon after it was struck by a lorry.

Emergency services raced to the scene between junctions three and four after the structure collapsed shortly after midday.

A motorcyclist, aged in his 50s, has been taken to a hospital in Tunbridge Wells with suspected broken ribs.

Traffic jam: Cars have been brought to a standstill on the M20
Twitter / @emmaraphaelx

Police, Kent Fire and Rescue Service and South East Coast Ambulance Service were called to the crash at 12.07pm.

No one is believed to be trapped beneath the debris, police said.

Pictures and video posted on social media showed the structure collapsed across the carriageways near the junction with the M26, badly damaged lorries nearby and queues of traffic.

The bridge collapsed onto cars between junctions 3 and 4
Twitter / @Tweet1MoreTime

Motorists got out of the cars and were stood on the motorways as they watched the drama unfold.

Natasha Najm wrote on Twitter: "Bridge collapsed on #M20 - avoid if u r travelling #bankholidayweekend #roadclosure #accident."

Simon Kidby said: "Major incident on m20 bridge collapsed."

Taylor Cresswell said: "Stuck in standstill traffic queue on M20 - traffic now coming through towards London."

South East Coast Ambulance Service tweeted: "On scene of an RTC on the M20 j4 following bridge collapse. Currently dealing with one patient."

The motorways is closed in both directions and causing queues all the way back to London.

A lorry is reported to have struck the bridge shortly after midday (Twitter '/ Abi Fai Chang (@JeffChangx))
Twitter '/ Abi Fai Chang (@JeffChangx)

A Kent Police spokesman said: "It is believed a lorry collided with a pedestrian bridge which has collapsed onto the carriageway below.

"Officers are in attendance along with Kent Fire and Rescue Service and South East Coast Ambulance Service.

"No people are believed to be trapped in the debris, however one person is believed to have suffered injuries, not reported to be life threatening at this time."

Police are treating this as a major incident and the M20 has been closed in both directions to allow this incident to be dealt with. Traffic will be heavier than usual.

This page is being updated.

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