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Major crash as driver has 'heart attack' (From This is The West Country)
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Major crash as driver has 'heart attack'
11:57am Thursday 9th October 2008
WEST Somerset was hit by traffic chaos on Monday after a car and milk lorry crashed near Minehead.
Police say the car and 11-tonne Robert Wiseman Dairies lorry collided after the 67- year-old car driver had a suspected heart attack behind the wheel.
Fire crews cut the car driver free from the wreckage and airlifted him to Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital where he remains in a stable condition, a police spokesman said.
The A39 was sealed off between Forche’s Lane and Monksway in Billbrook for more than five hours following the incident at 10.30am, causing widespread traffic mayhem around the area.
The man – a holidaymaker from Mansfield – was travelling with his wife towards Minehead when the incident happened.
Fire Service crews from Minehead, Williton and a special rescue unit from Taunton attended the incident, which happened outside the Coastal 4x4 garage.
An ambulance spokesman said that when they arrived the man was suffering from chest pain.
Minehead duty sergeant Ian Flower said roads in Watchet became gridlocked following the collision.
“Traffic was diverted through Blue Anchor and Watchet because there was no reasonable alternative route,” he said.
“The trouble is Watchet’s roads are so narrow it brings everything to a halt. We did get quite a few complaints but it couldn’t be avoided.”
He said it took some people an hour to get from Carhampton to Williton – a journey of less than five miles.
Robert Wiseman Dairies communication director Graeme Jack said the company was co-operating fully with police to try and determine what happened.
He added: “The refrigerated vehicle was travelling from Minehead to Taunton at the time.
“Our driver was not injured but is badly shaken by the incident.”
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Minehead Police Station on 0845-4567000.
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The scene of the collision after the incident.
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