Five British children seriously injured after mother killed in horror crash
Five British children whose mother was killed in a horror car smash are being treated in several hospitals in northern France for “serious injuries” but are “out of danger”, according to local authorities.
Miriam Posen, 50, from North London, was on the A26 motorway, south of Lens, with six members of her family when they were involved in a three-way accident around 6pm on Sunday.
In all, four people died in the crash across the three vehicles.
Speaking to The Telegraph, the Arras prosecutor’s office said: “One person died in the van carrying seven Britons and the others are being treated for serious injuries in several hospitals in the region.”
Miriam Posen died when her car was involved in an incident on the A26 at Neuville-Saint-Vaast, in the Reims-Calais
Credit: MAXPPP / Alamy Live News
He added: “Five British children aged seven to 19 were in the vehicle.”
Mrs Posen’s son Izzy said his mother was “full of the spirit of life” in a post on social media. He wrote: “She was young and healthy and full of the spirit of life. I loved her so much.”
He shared a 2017 photo on Instagram with a caption that read: “With my beautiful mother and sister.”
Among the injured were Miriam’s husband Rabbi Shalom Pinchos Posen, 48, and two daughters, 19 and 16. Three children, the youngest seven, had injuries which were not considered life-threatening. No details have emerged regarding their gender or identity. Mourners gathered outside the family home close to Woodberry Wetlands Nature Reserve on Tuesday.
There were four people in a second vehicle, including an unidentified 75-year-old woman and a 45-year-old man, both of whom died after suffering cardiac arrests. The other two passengers in the second car were a 14-year-old boy and a 79-year-old man. Rushed to Lille hospital by helicopter, the teenager was pronounced dead on Tuesday morning.
Five British children involved in the accident are being treated for serious injuries across a number of hospitals
Credit: MAXPPP / Alamy Live News
In a statement, Mrs Posen’s family said: “Miriam was a devoted mother who was loved so much by her family and friends. She was a very special person who will be greatly missed by all who knew her.”
It is reported the vehicle she was travelling in was hit head-on after another car swerved in front of it between the towns of Neuville-Saint-Vaast and Thélus[1]. Dozens of firefighters and two helicopters rushed to the scene.
The Arras prosecutor’s office said: “The British victims are in several hospitals in the region given the seriousness of their injuries. But they are no longer in a life-threatening condition.”
He added: “Police have not been able to question anyone yet as the priority is still in treating them. As soon as their condition is compatible with being questioned, they will do so.”
“We have no precise technical or human explanation for the causes of the crash as yet but there were many witnesses so this should become clear. The vehicle is also undergoing extensive analysis.”
References
- ^ Neuville-Saint-Vaast and Thélus (www.telegraph.co.uk)