National
Dozens injured in Toledo 100-vehicle pileup
By m.p.
Jan 22, 2008 - 9:54 PM

More than a hundred vehicles involved and at least 68 injuries was the outcome of dense fog in Toledo on Tuesday, with three separate multiple accidents on the A-42 motorway. Amazingly, everyone involved has so far escaped with their lives, although one woman is said to be critical. Another eight are seriously injured.

Roberto Sabrido, health councillor with the Castilla-La Mancha regional government, commented in a press conference, ‘we’ve been very lucky’ that no-one was killed in an accident of this magnitude.

The first was at 8.30 on Tuesday morning on the Madrid side of the carriageway, between kilometres 49 and 51, and involved 60 vehicles, including a bus and three lorries. The second accident was just an hour later and just a few kilometres away, on the Toledo side of the carriageway. There were three separate nose-to-tail crushes between kilometres 39 and 51: one of 30 vehicles – including a fire engine which had been called out to attend the first accident – another of eight, and the third of ten.

The third pileup was later on in the morning between kilometres 36 and 45 near Illescas, again on the Toledo carriageway. There was no information on how many vehicles were involved on that occasion, but it’s understood it began when a vehicle pulled out to overtake.

El Mundo reports that two of the morning’s injured had to be rescued from their vehicles, and that the woman reported as critical, aged between 25 and 30, was undergoing emergency surgery. She suffered head injuries in the accident.

An estimated 120-130 traffic officers and emergency personnel were reported to have attended the scene. The injured included two Protección Civil personnel who were travelling on the fire engine which crashed.