* YOU BEEN SNAP* YESU NA MARIA NA YOSEFU " Motorway fireball: At least seven dead and 51 injured in horrific crash on M5 described as 'worst ever seen by emergency services'. JAMANI USIKU UMEANZA KUINGIA UK MAPEMA,GIZA LINAANZA SAA KUMI JIONI " MADEREVA KUWENI MAKINI BARABARANI" CHUNGA MAISHA YAKO NA YA WENGINE.GOD BLESS DUNIA.

*MKILETEWA HAPA NA FLORA LYIMO DESIGNER*

• Police confirm at least seven people have been killed and several more have suffered life-changing injuries
• Death toll could rise as emergency services admit people may still be trapped in 'burnt and unrecognisable' vehicles
  
• Police: 'For a motorway incident this is just about as big as it gets. It was a highly complex and traumatic incident'
  
• Dramatic scenes as motorists try to pull others free from burning wreckage as a huge fireball engulfs the carriageway
  
• Weather could be a significant factor in the crash and a firework display was going on at the time
  
• Motorway expected to be closed for 24 hours along 18-mile stretch
• Emergency number for concerned relatives: 0800 092 0410

At least seven people were killed and 51 injured in a horrific crash on the M5 motorway described by the emergency services today as one of the worst they have ever seen.

There are fears the death toll could soar even higher as police said they believe bodies may still be trapped in vehicles which have been left 'burnt and unrecognisable'.

The smash on the northbound carriageway near Taunton, Somerset, involved 34 vehicles, including four lorries. Police said the vehicles were 'immediately alight' following the crash as a 'massive fireball' engulfed the carriageway.

Seven dead: Police officers work to clear the scene of the accident. Senior officers said they fear there may yet be more fatalities;

A huge fire engulfed the scene almost immediately. 34 vehicles, including four lorries, were involved in the crash on Friday night;

Charred wreckage: The deadly crash scene this morning after the 31-vehicle pile up on the M5 at Taunton, Somerset which killed at least seven people and injured 51;

Inspection: Police and emergency workers at the scene early today on the M5 which has been shut in both directions as officers examine the carnage;

Officers confirmed that a fireworks display was going on at the nearby Bridgwater Carnival at Taunton Rugby Club which witnesses said cast a pall of black smoke over the motorway carriages when the collision happened at 8.25pm last night.

'WE COULD HEAR THE SCREAMS OF THE LITTLE ONES IN THE CARS'

The Taunton Rugby Club's ground where the firework carnival was held is next to the M5 crash scene.
Thick black smoke was generated by the display and a nearby smallholding also had a large bonfire which was spreading black smoke.
Josie Gallimore, 60, and husband Brian, 61, who live near the accident scene walked Hyde Lane bridge which overlooks the motorway
Mrs Gallimore said: 'We didn't stay long because it was too disturbing. You could hear the cries of the little ones trapped in their cars.
'They had to remain in their cars with their families and apparently some were there for up to three and a half hours.
'I didn't sleep last night. I couldn't. It's a terrible tragedy.'

Speaking at the crash site, Avon and Somerset assistant chief constable Anthony Bangham said: 'This is an horrific scene. I can confirm it was a multi-vehicle collision that was declared as a major incident.
'I can say we have a got a mixture of heavy loaded vehicles and light vehicles. They been in close contact and they are burnt and unrecognisable. Sadly I we can now confirm seven people have died as a result of this incident. We fear that number will rise.
'A large scale multi-agency operation continues at the scene to remove vehicles, check that there are no other casualties and repair the carriageway.
'This is a hugely complex operation because of the scale of vehicles and people involved. All vehicles will need to be removed from the scene for forensic examination and this of course takes time.'
Mr Bangham confirmed police were probing the theory that the fireworks display distracted motorists. Police could not say whether the fireworks might have been a factor, but Mr Bangham said it was 'certainly something we'll be looking at closely'.
He added: 'There's a number of factors that came into play. It was dark, it was particularly poor weather last night, we had fog banks on the motorway and we also had wet surface issues.'
When quizzed over whether there were still further dead bodies at the crash scene, Mr Bangham said: 'Yes, I'm afraid there are. For a motorway incident this is just about as big as it gets.'
He praised the heroism of the emergency services and members of the public, who attempted to pull people from burning vehicles.
Mr Bangham said:'The intensity of the fire - it was a fireball on the carriageway - made it incredibly difficult for people to approach. 'People did their very best.'

Mangled: The vehicles destroyed by the fire which engulfed the motorway last night after the multiple crash;

Today police were still working to clear the scene near Taunton, Somerset, following the 34-vehicle crash. Officers fear they will still find further bodies;

Horror crash: Emergency workers recover debris from the carriageway today as police confirm there have been at least seven deaths;

Police said the carriageway will be closed until tomorrow as emergency repairs are carried out;

Burned out: A charred lorry destroyed by the 'massive fireball' which erupted during the carnage on the motorway;

All that's left: Three emergency workers at the scene of some of the vehicles burned into twisted metal;

Television footage showed motorists trying to pry open vehicle doors in a bid to rescue those trapped.

The accident is already the worst on British roads since 1991 when 10 people were killed and 25 injured in a huge pile-up on the M4 in Hungerford, Berkshire.

This afternoon Transport Secretary Justine Greening expressed sympathy with the familes of those affected by the tragedy and thanked rescue rescue workers and emergency staff who worked throughout the night to help the injured.

Fifteen appliances raced to the scene and immediately closed off the motorway in both directions. It is expected to be shut for the next 24 hours while emergency workers recover bodies and clear the debris from the accident.

Firefighters used hydraulic equipment to pull injured from the wrecked vehicles. Some had 'life changing' injuries.

Witnesses claim the pile-up was triggered when an Iceland truck suddenly disappeared into a 'black hole' of fog. Ciara Neno, from Weston-super-Mare, said: 'A black fog came down and the Iceland truck literally disappeared.

Inferno: Blazing vehicles involved in the 27-vehicle pile-up are captured in dramatic footage shown on Sky TV. Sixteen people are feared to have died;

Pile-up: Crashed lorries and cars jammed together on the M5 after the accident in which many people died;

Wreckage: Firemen inspect the damage after the horror accident. Over 40 injured were taken to hospital;

'We managed to brake and miss the lorry but it was too late, the carnage had already started.

'All we heard was thump, thump, thump. My husband dragged people from the cars, the smell was horrendous and there were a number of explosions.
'We walked away but others weren't so lucky.'Motorist Paul O'Connor described the aftermath of the pile-up as 'disturbing'.

'I heard a loud bang and saw the flames,' he told Sky News.'I thought it was something to do with bonfire night and then realised it was something quite bad. It was quite horrific and I have never seen anything like that - I could see people lying on the side of the road. It was quite disturbing really.'

Mr O'Connor, who was travelling to Plymouth when the incident happened, added: 'I saw two people lying down and there were quite a lot of people around them - the emergency services were doing what they could, I don't know if they were OK.