Two police officers who died in a crash that killed five others in the early hours of Saturday morning have been named. Pc Matthew Blades, 37, and Pc Tom Clough, 38, were killed when a Volkswagen Passat which was travelling the wrong way down the A66 near Middlesbrough collided with their marked police vehicle that was going in the right direction.
Investigation opened into crash
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) opened an investigation into the circumstances leading to the crash at 3.39am in South Bank after a mandatory referral from Cleveland Police.
Officers from Cleveland Police spotted a suspicious vehicle and a pursuit began before the car travelled onto the A66 and collided with a police car, the watchdog said.
Tributes from chief constable and PM
Chief Constable Victoria Fuller said it was an “incredibly sad day for Cleveland”.
“These were brave officers protecting our communities and serving our residents who didn’t return home to their families at the end of their shift,” she added.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he was “devastated” to hear about the crash.
Emergency response and road closure
Earlier today North East Ambulance Service said it had been called to a two-vehicle crash and sent 14 units to the scene including ambulance crews, a specialist paramedic, a hazardous area response team and a doctor from Great North Air Ambulance Service.
A spokesperson for the service said: “Sadly, despite the best efforts of everyone attending, a number of patients died at the scene.
“We send condolences to all of those affected by such a tragic event and thank everyone for all they did to help.”
A Cleveland Police spokesperson said: “Around 3.39am this morning, a collision took place involving a police vehicle and a Volkswagen Passat on the A66 in South Bank.
“Sadly, the collision has resulted in multiple fatalities. There are significant emergency vehicles on the scene and the road will remain closed for some time.
“The public are asked to use alternative routes.
“We are working to identify the victims and contact their families. This is a quickly-evolving incident and we ask that members of the public respectfully avoid speculation.”
