Driver, 37, dies as lorry slams into rig protecting car and explodes into flames

A driver was killed in a horror crash when his lorry ploughed into the back of a stationary rig that had stopped to protect a car that lost control.

The smash happened after a Ford Fiesta - allegedly driven by an intoxicated man - lost control on the M5 northbound carriageway between J9 (Yewkesbury) and J11 (Cheltenham) in Gloucestershire just after 5am on Sunday.

A lorry driver stopped to protect the Fiesta from passing vehicles and check on the driver, but a second rig, with Co-op supermarket logos, slammed into the back of the stationary trailer, causing a fire and a series of explosions.

The driver of the second lorry - a 37-year-old man from Bristol - died at the scene, GloucestershireLive reports. That lorry's cab was destroyed, as an aerial photo revealed the scale of the devastation.

Police said the driver of the Fiesta, a 21-year-old man, was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and on suspicion of driving under the influence of drink and/or drugs.

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The driver of the Fiesta was released under investigation.

The aerial picture shows a blue car that had spun out, the first lorry that stopped to protect it and the second lorry which crashed into the back of the first rig.

Farmer Ray Knight, who lives near the scene, told the BBC he heard "a great big bang" at about 5.40am when he was feeding his cows.

He added: "I looked outside, didn't know what it was so carried on as normal and then a few minutes later, there was a second one."

When he heard a third explosion about 10 minutes later "you could see the black smoke and there was a glow in the sky" from the fire.

The M5 northbound was closed between J9 and J11 for hours due to "extensive road surface damage", said Highways England.

The stretch reopened following repairs.

A Gloucestershire Constabulary spokesperson said: "A man has died following a three-vehicle collision on the M5 early [Sunday] morning.

"Police were called at 5.20am with a report of a Ford Fiesta losing control on the M5 northbound carriageway.

"A lorry stopped to protect the Fiesta from passing vehicles and to check on the welfare of its driver.

"A second lorry has then collided with the first lorry.

"Emergency services attended and the driver of the second lorry, a 37-year-old man from Bristol was pronounced dead at the scene.

"His next of kin and the coroner have been informed.

"A 21-year-old man, the driver of the Ford Fiesta, has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and on suspicion of driving under the influence of drink and/or drugs.

"He has since been released under investigation.

"Officers investigating the collision are keen to hear from anyone who may have relevant dashcam footage or who witnessed the incident and have not yet spoken to police."

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 and quote incident 86 of 13 September.