Avon and Somerset Police said 54 people were triaged at the scene.
17 January 2023
Dozens of people have been injured after a double-decker bus taking 70 workers to Hinkley Point C power station overturned in “treacherous” freezing conditions.
Avon and Somerset Police had declared a major incident after the crash on the A39 Quantock Road, in Bridgwater, which also involved a motorcyclist, due to the number of patients.
A “significant number” of police, fire and ambulance units were sent to the scene.
Inspector Rebecca Wells-Cole, of Avon and Somerset Police, confirmed there had been no fatalities and said the major incident had been stood down.
Speaking at the scene, she said: “Fifty-four patients were triaged at the scene and it is too soon to confirm whether any of these patients have life-threatening injuries, however 26 patients are being treated as walking wounded.
“A number of those treated at the scene had been taken to Musgrove Park Hospital, Bridgewater Minor Injury Unit and Southmead Hospital.”
Emergency services were called to the crash at around 6am on Tuesday.
Earlier, the force had urged people to “only travel if it is absolutely essential” as it had received more than 100 reports of road-related incidents in five hours due to the “treacherous conditions”.
Ms Wells-Cole said: “It may take us some time to recover the bus and to clear the debris from the road.
“I would like to take this opportunity to advise the local residents to only travel where absolutely essential due to the icy road conditions caused by the cold temperatures overnight and the excess water on the road.”
Following an increased number of road-related incidents overnight, we are advising people to only travel if essential.
We received more than 100 reports in 5 hours as a result of ‘treacherous conditions’ from freezing temperatures and water on the road.https://t.co/OTvDnHDtTl
— Avon and Somerset Police (@ASPolice) January 17, 2023
A total of 53 crashes were reported to police between 6pm and 11pm on Monday, most of them due to the freezing weather causing dangerous driving conditions.
Seven of these incidents were reported to have resulted in injuries, but were not thought to be serious, police said.
A further 67 calls concerned other road-related incidents.
A spokesman for Hinkley Point C nuclear power station said: “A bus carrying members of the Hinkley Point C workforce has been involved in a traffic incident on the A39 in Bridgwater.
“Emergency services are on the scene and travel to and from the site has been suspended.”
