Watford M1 closed after two people die at bridge
Two people have died in a “serious incident” at a bridge on the M1 in Hertfordshire which police have said was not a road accident.
Police and ambulances were called to the northbound carriageway near Junction 5 at Watford at 10:45 GMT.
The motorway was shut for about two hours. The northbound carriageway will remain closed “for some time” but traffic is now moving southbound.
Officers are working to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
‘Avoid the area’
Motorway CCTV footage seemed to show emergency services working on the bridge above the scene of the incident, as well as on the road below.
A Hertfordshire Police spokeswoman said: "Police are currently attending a serious incident and are asking drivers to avoid the area where possible.
“The northbound carriageway is closed and is expected to remain closed for some time and drivers are asked to find alternative routes.”
A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service said two ambulances, an emergency response vehicle and an air ambulance had been dispatched to the scene but were stood down after midday.
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-be … s-25960081
Very sad that a person who stopped to help got killed. People moan when we close lanes ’ for no reason’ but your first priority is to make yourself safe and the scene safe. Thoughts go out to all involved.
nice pic of the que to get off the road with the usual cars on the hard shoulder… and a lorry!!! nice one mate. you done us proud… 
got caught up in this today-very sad.
dazaster:
nice pic of the que to get off the road with the usual cars on the hard shoulder… and a lorry!!! nice one mate. you done us proud…
Not sure what picture you’ve seen p, but the ones on the BBC website, I think the car and HGV on the hardshoulder in the queue are incident response vehicles.
The car and truck sat on their own in another picture I assume where driven by witnesses to the incident.
Its a very sad incident, my thoughts are with those who knew those that died and those that had to witness it and deal with it. 
There were a lot of vehicles, mostly cars, but a couple of trucks blocking the hard shoulder to jump the queue J4-5. Unfortunately, the Police unit sent to deal with them, met drivers travelling the wrong way up the slip road at J4, so was busy nicking them and then closed the slip road.
extrucker:
There were a lot of vehicles, mostly cars, but a couple of trucks blocking the hard shoulder to jump the queue J4-5. Unfortunately, the Police unit sent to deal with them, met drivers travelling the wrong way up the slip road at J4, so was busy nicking them and then closed the slip road.
In a sad way that pleases me to hear that the police were waiting for them, the amount of times I’ve at in a queue and watched people screaming down the hardshoulder to get off at the next junction without any consideration for emergency vehicle access or the fact there might be people out of their vehicles.