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Thursday, 26 July, 2001, 05:27 GMT 06:27 UK
One dead in minibus crash
Leeds General Infirmary
Four passengers were taken to Leeds General Infirmary
One person has died and 13 people are injured after a minibus overturned and crashed on the M62 in West Yorkshire.

The bus is said to have flipped onto its roof on the eastbound carriageway near Wakefield at 2020BST on Wednesday.

West Yorkshire Ambulance Service scrambled eight ambulances, three support vehicles and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance to ferry the casualties to hospitals in Leeds, Wakefield and Pontefract.

A 44-year-old man, from Castleford, West Yorkshire, was declared dead at the scene.

Police are investigating the cause of the accident but believe no other vehicle was involved.

The injured - 12 men and one woman - who suffered head, back, leg and wrist injuries, were taken to three hospitals.

One man in his early 30s, was flown by air ambulance to Leeds General Infirmary suffering chest pains and breathing difficulties after being thrown from the vehicle.

Six people were taken to Pinderfields General Hospital, three to Pontefract General Infirmary and four to the Leeds hospital.

Truck protection

West Yorkshire Police said a truck driver parked his lorry alongside the overturned minibus to protect the injured passengers.

A police spokesman said: "This would appear to be just one minibus - no other vehicle was involved.

"My understanding was that this lorry stopped and protected the scene in order to ensure that no other vehicles collided with the minibus or the injured parties."

The motorway was not closed but police implemented a rolling block to allow the air ambulance to land on the inside lane to take the worst casualty to hospital.

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