Man dies as Black Country crash shuts M5 south for six hours
A man has died after a lorry crashed into the central reservation of the M5 in the Black Country.
A stretch of the motorway was closed to southbound drivers for around six hours following the 'serious multi-vehicle' crash near Oldbury.
The man, aged 61, was rushed to hospital with serious injuries after a Go Direct lorry smashed into the central reservation at around 5.15am but he was later pronounced dead.
All traffic was initially blocked in both directions due to the severity of the incident but the northbound carriageway reopened shortly before 6am.
The southbound route stayed closed between Junction 2 for Oldbury and Junction 3 for Halesowen until around 11.30am, causing lengthy delays while collision investigators examined the scene and made the area safe.
One lane of the northbound route was also closed while the central barriers were repaired and debris was cleared by Highways England traffic officers.
A West Midlands Police spokesman said: "Police are currently in attendance at a serious collision on the M5 motorway between junctions 2 and 3 southbound after a truck collided with a barrier and then came to a stop just before 5.15am this morning.
"A 61-year-old man was taken to hospital with serious injuries and has sadly been pronounced dead."
A statement on the Highways England website described the crash as a 'serious multi-vehicle collision' and advised drivers to allow extra time for journeys.
During the closure southbound traffic was diverted off the motorway at Junction 2, along the A4123 and A456 and back onto the M5 at Junction 3.
Go Direct is a haulage company with sites in Cannock and Essington, near Wolverhampton.
