Coroner praises bravery of those who rushed to help victims of horror M62 crash which killed two
A coroner has praised the actions of those who rushed to the aid of the victims following a horrific M62 crash last year.
A lorry careered into the back of a BMW on the approach to the Ouse Bridge roadworks near Goole[1] on April 6 last year which caused “a big fireball”. Sadly two men – BMW driver Dale Emery and lorry driver Adrian Haywood – lost their lives but the brave actions of those involved helped save the life of a female passenger.
An inquest was held in Hull on Monday into the deaths of Dale, 54, and Adrian, 53. Dale was described as “considerate and loving” while the court heard Adrian was a “hardworking family man”.
Area coroner Lorraine Harris concluded the deaths of both men were the result of a road traffic incident. She also said the members of the public who rushed to help should have their brave actions recognised.
She said: “I would like to commend the men who tried to help. It is through their actions that the female passenger didn’t die. The bravery of those involved should be recognised.”
The inquest heard from one of the men who came to the aid of the victims despite the wall of flames that greeted him and several others who helped.
In a statement he said: “The HGV jack-knifed and there was a big fireball. I saw a car in flames and there was nothing I could do to assist anyone inside.
“I noticed the flames were close to the lorry cab. I ran over and tried to open the passenger door but it was jammed. I tried smashing the window with my fist and then two other males came and broke it with a piece of wood. I saw the driver was in shock. He had cuts to his face but he was not bleeding badly.”
The man explained in his statement the lorry driver urged him to save the female passenger who was in the footwell.
He said: “One of the other men got inside and passed the female out to me. I then handed her to someone else and went to drive and rescue the driver.
“We managed to get the door three quarters open but the fire was spreading round us and I could feel the heat. The driver’s leg was trapped. I grabbed hold of him and tried to pull him but I couldn’t free him.”
Sadly, the members of the public were forced back due to the flames and Adrian could not be saved.
In a statement, the female passenger in Dale’s lorry said she was on her phone and looked up to see a car ahead but she remembered nothing until waking up in hospital where she spent two weeks, ten of which were in intensive care. She had broken her neck but has since recovered well.
The driver of a Warburtons’s HGV, which was just in front of Dale’s car, also gave a statement which was read out at the inquest. He said he had slowed as traffic approached the roadworks eastbound at the Ouse Bridge near Goole.
Recovery services on the M62 after two people died in a crash near Goole, East Yorkshire (Image: Sean Stewart)
He said: “I heard this terrific crash and the cabin was shaking. There was smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle. I moved to the hard shoulder and got out to see what had happened.
“I saw a lorry had jack-knifed and there was a wall of flames. There was so much smoke. I saw someone jump on the back of the trailer of the lorry that had jack-knifed and try to get into the cabin. I could feel the heat and flames and smoke was choking me.
“Someone asked if I had a fire extinguisher so I ran back but could not find one. I then saw someone carry a female out of the cabin while others were trying to get the driver out. I broke down and was in shock. I felt sick to my stomach.
Another HGV driver, just behind Adrian’s lorry saw what happened.
In his statement he said: “I was starting to approach the roadworks and continued to slow down but the HGV ahead of me did not. I felt something was going to happen.
“The lorry indicated to go into lane two but then started to move back. It suddenly braked hard. There was this sudden bang and explosion with flames.
“I knew no one was getting out of the car but members of the public went to help the lorry driver. The fire was spreading rapidly but they managed to bring out a female.
Pathology reports concluded both Dane and Adrian died of severe burns while Dale also suffered traumatic internal injuries due to a road traffic incident.
Toxicology results found Dale had no drugs or alcohol in his system but Adrian tested positive for cocaine which could have affected his driving.
Collision investigator PC Robert Sawyers told the inquest there was no evidence Adrian or Dale were using their phones at the time of the collision and neither his nor Dale’s vehicles were found to be defective. He also said the signs warning of the approaching road works at the Ouse Bridge were deemed adequate.
Dale’s partner Judy Leach described how she has struggled since losing her soul mate. She met Dale on a dating website in 2016 and they hit it off straight away.
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She said: “I have never known a man so considerate and loving. He had a great personality and loved a laugh.
“Dale always put me first while he got on with people and was well loved at work. We went on holidays abroad together and enjoyed making memories.
“Dale left early that day before I was awake but he told me he loved me and I will never forget those words. When I was told Dale had died my world fell apart and I have never been the same since. I can’t move forward with my life.
“We planned to go to Cuba later that year and were getting engaged. I wanted nothing more than for us to be together forever.”
Adrian’s daughter Christina also provided a statement and admitted her dad had faced difficult periods in his life.
She said: “My dad was born In Nottingham and joined the army when he was 16 years old. He married two years later and had a son before I was born two years later. But mum and dad’s relationship broke down but he remained a good dad to us and saw us every other weekend.”
Christina said her dad had several failed relationships over the years and after leaving the army became a butcher and then an HGV driver. He also had a stint as a DJ in Corfu.
But his life fell apart after the death of a friend during which he fell in with the wrong crowd and ended up in jail for drug offences. His drug use increased once more after the death of his mother but his life improved when he met his new partner in 2020.
Christina said: “He met his new partner in 2020 and they moved in together. She helped him with his mental health and he treated her children like his own. He was happy and looking forward to the future.
“My dad was a good person who would do anything for anyone. Although he had been in trouble at times he was a good, hardworking family man who never gave up on me or my brother. He will be missed by everyone.”