Three killed in M6 crash named by police

2:35pm Wednesday 18th April 2007

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By Nafeesa Shan »

The three people killed in the M6 crash yesterday morning have been named.

Thomas Hayes, 51, of Utting Avenue East, Liverpool, Stephen Corrigan, 55, of Cherry Lane, Liverpool, and John Kerrigan, 48, of North Wood Street, Kirkby, were killed when the Fiat Punto they were travelling in was crushed by a lorry.

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The only surviving passenger, William Hayes, 58, from Walton in Liverpool, is in Royal Preston Hospital with face and arm injuries.

He has been informed of the deaths.

Thomas Hayes was driving the vehicle at the time.

A HGV carrying animal feed overturned on the northbound carriageway of the M6, north of junction 27 near Chorley, and plunged 15 feet down an embankment, crushing a blue Fiat Punto around 6.50am on Tuesday.

Four men travelling in a Ford Galaxy were also injured in the collision.

They and the HGV driver were taken to hospital suffering from minor injuries.

Police are today continuing investigations into the crash.

Inspector Phil Cottam, of Lancashire Constabulary, said: "This was a particularly harrowing incident in which three people tragically lost their lives."

The motorway was closed for nine hours after the crash, causing long tailbacks. Volunteers were drafted in to deliver water to people stranded in their cars.

The accident was about a mile south of Charnock Richard services and caused 15-mile tailbacks during the rush hour and the motorway junctions were closed from junctions 27 and 28.

Cars were allowed to leave the motorway at the junction 27 slip road from 9.40am after the Highways Agency officials re-opened the motorway junction.

However lorries and HGVs had to wait until noon before they were allowed to pass by.