Five Teens Killed In 'Horrific' Car Pile-Up Tragedy

Five Teens Killed In 'Horrific' Car Pile-Up Tragedy

Five teenagers have died in a horrific collision which may have involved up to three cars, in foggy conditions on Saturday night.

Megan Storey, 16, Arpad Kore, 18, Blake Cairns, 16, Bartosz Bortniczak, 18 and Jordanna Goodwin, 16, have been named locally as the victims killed in a blue Toyota Corolla.

The man driving the second vehicle, a grey Seat, suffered a broken leg. The 21-year-old Doncaster man has been released on bail while police continue their investigation. A 21-year-old Doncaster man, believed to have been the driver of a third vehicle which may have also been involved, has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, South Yorkshire Police said.

Megan Storey, Bartosz Bortniczak, Arpad Kore, Blake Cairns and Jordanna Goodwin

The scene of a crash where four teenagers have died and another has been left in a critical condition following a two-car crash in Conisbrough

One man who lives close to the crash scene said it was "terrible".

He said: "We didn't realise what it was to start with. We'd been watching Strictly and we just heard a thud, just like a car door closing. That's all. Then the wife saw the blue lights and we went out and it was just terrible. There were fire engines, ambulances, police. There must have been 15 police cars.

"I didn't want to go any closer. It looked very bad and they were all there so there's nothing I could do."

Four of the teenagers went to the same sixth form, and Bortniczak had recently left the school. Rebecca Staples, headteacher at Danum Academy in Doncaster, said they were "flourishing".

Megan Storey

Car crash teens

"They were popular, lively and loved by those who knew them and many students looked up to them within our community," she said in a statement. "We will continue to do everything we can to support those affected. We have opened books of remembrance, and will have quiet rooms on both our sites with counsellors available from the morning.

"Each one of them has a special place in each of our hearts. They had tremendous lives ahead of them. Grief is already spreading across our community. Our thoughts remain with the families and friends of these wonderful young people.

She described Cairns as "great fun" with a "huge network of friends" who had played on the school football team. "He represented the school in football teams. He had a real presence; a lovely cheeky boy who had great relationships with staff."

Goodwin was Prom Queen, Staples said, and had been a dedicated pupil with a "fantastic rapport with staff", as did Kore, who she said was 'always willing to help and assist at school; he was totally reliable member of our community, a true gentleman who looked out for everybody".

She described Storey as "really bubbly" and a "very caring mature young woman who was a joy to be with".

Staples also paid tribute to Bortniczak who "had kept close ties with his school friends since leaving".

"He was a fun loving young man, with a lovely character and a real sense of fun, a loveable lad."

A steady stream of teenagers came to the scene this afternoon to lay flowers. Among the tributes left by the roadside. one message said: "In loving memory of such a kind and funny young lad with a bright future ahead of him."

Another said: "My little party animal. Going to miss all the banter and cuddles. Never gone, babe. I'm still your diamond. Never forgotten my angel."

Inspector Pete Serhatlic said: "There were five occupants of the Toyota Corolla aged between 16 and 18 years old. Tragically all these five young people have now lost their lives."

The officer said: "It was absolutely horrific. There's no other words to describe it. I'd rather not go into any details about what it was like but it was extremely traumatic."

The man driving the Seat suffered a broken leg. The 21-year-old Doncaster man has been released on bail while police continue their investigation.

The road was closed as investigations took place but reopened at about 3am today.

This morning the only evidence of the crash was a South Yorkshire Police witness appeal board placed by the side of the road, which runs through woodland just outside the town of Conisbrough on the main route to Doncaster.

One local resident out walking his dog this morning said: "It's just terrible. They must have been going too fast. It was foggy here last night just like it is now. It's only a few years ago that all those other kids died. Terrible."

In January 2011, three teenagers aged 14, 15, and 16 died after the car they were in hit a tree and was torn apart just a short distance from last night's crash. Faded memorials from that tragedy are still visible on a nearby tree.

South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue attended the scene last night and later tweeted: "We send our deepest condolences to the families affected by the fatal RTC we attended last night."

Four of those who died are believed to have gone to the same Doncaster school sixth form.

The occupants of the Toyota Corolla are thought to have met up with the driver of the third vehicle - a Vauxhall Corsa - at a McDonald's restaurant in Doncaster some time before the crash.

Both vehicles were heading away from Doncaster at the time of the collision.

Asked about whether the stretch of road is an accident black spot, he said: "It's the second multiple fatality within a short space of time but it's not really a location where you consistently get road traffic collisions of a serious nature.

"It's just that the ones you do get on that stretch of road seem to, unfortunately, involve multiple deaths. It's a national speed limit road but it's not one that picks up RTCs on a daily or weekly basis."

And asked about the fog, he said: "Undoubtedly it was foggy last night. I was out going to the scene and sometimes the visibility was down to 30 or 35 metres, so it was patchy fog. The fog in places was dense. Whether that had a bearing on the incident - it's too early to say."

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