A man has died after the car he was travelling in smashed into the back of a fire engine at the scene of an earlier pile-up.
Crews were rescuing people from three cars which had crashed on an icy motorway slip road when a fourth vehicle hit the stationary pump and then ploughed in to the central reservation.
One man in his 30s suffered serious injuries at the scene and was taken to Selly Oak Hospital where he died a short time later.
Police have arrested the driver of the car in connection with the crash, which happened between the southbound M5 and the M42, close to Catshill in Worcestershire at 6.30am on Sunday.
Insp Nigel Humphries from West Mercia Police said: “I can confirm that one person has died as a result of the crash but we are not in a position to give any further details about his identity at this stage.
“Police also arrested a man at the scene of the accident in connection with the crash.”
Police are investigating whether cold weather had left the road icy and treacherous for drivers.
An ambulance spokesman said: “Crews began to treat the patients on scene. While they were still on scene a second collision took place.
“One man suffered major trauma and went into cardiac arrest.
“Crews carried out emergency treatment on the man as he was conveyed on blue lights to Selly Oak Hospital.”
The two other men in the car which crashed in to the fire engine suffered minor injuries and were taken to Alexandra Hospital in Redditch, along with two people from the initial crash.
Alec Mackie of Hereford and Worcestershire Fire Service said that no firefighters had been injured and that the engine was not badly damaged.
