2011 M5 motorway crash
The M5 on 5 November 2011, the day after the crash
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| Time | 20:25 UTC |
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| Date | 4 November 2011 |
| Location | Bathpool and Creech St Michael (near Taunton), Somerset, England |
| Coordinates | 51°01′26″N 3°03′24″W / 51.0239°N 3.0568°WCoordinates: 51°01′26″N 3°03′24″W / 51.0239°N 3.0568°W |
| Deaths | 7 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 51 |
| Property damage | 34 vehicles; road surface scorched, debris fused into road surface; safety barrier damage |
| Charges | 1 person charged under health and safety laws |
| Verdict | Not guilty |
 Images of the crash and aftermath The Guardian
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On 4 November 2011, a multiple-vehicle collision occurred on the M5 motorway near Taunton, Somerset, in South West England. The crash involved dozens of cars and articulated lorries, and a large fireball ensued.
Seven people were killed and 51 others were injured, making the pile-up the deadliest on a British motorway since 13 people – 12 of them children – died in a minibus crash on the M40 in 1993.
In October 2012, a man who had organised and was operating a fireworks display for Guy Fawkes Night at Taunton Rugby Club's ground, which is adjacent to the motorway, was charged with seven counts of manslaughter. In January 2013, the manslaughter charges were dropped and instead he faced a single charge under health and safety laws of failing to ensure the safety of others. In December 2013 he was found not guilty of the charge.
In April 2014, the West Somerset coroner concluded that the accident was caused by dense fog, and that smoke from fireworks may have been a contributory factor, but was not the prime cause of the incident.
At 8:25 pm on Friday 4 November 2011, 34 vehicles were involved in a pile-up on the northbound carriageway of the M5 motorway near junction 25 at Bathpool and Creech St Michael, 2.2 miles (3.5 km) northeast of Taunton. The vehicles included cars, vans and lorries, some of which exploded and started a fire. Flames rose up to 20 feet (6 m) high.
Fifty-one people were injured and seven were later confirmed dead. Sixteen casualties were treated at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton and 26 at Yeovil District Hospital. A surgeon was flown by helicopter from the major trauma centre at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital to cope with the load and the types of multi-system trauma, including multiple fractures and chest, abdominal and lung injuries.
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