Six people have died in an early morning crash involving a taxi and two cars in Birmingham.
Three men were killed when they were thrown out of their car while a black cab driver and his two passengers died after the vehicle was left on its side, West Midlands Ambulance Service said.
A fourth man travelling in the car remains in a critical condition at the city’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
The Ambulance Service, which sent five ambulances and three paramedics to the scene, said it was astonishing that a man and woman in the first car were able to escape with minor injuries despite “extensive damage” to their vehicle.
Three other cars collided as they tried to avoid the scene at the entrance to the underpass on Lee Bank Middleway, near Edgbaston, at the junction of Bristol Road shortly after 1am on Saturday.
Of those people, two were taken to Heartlands Hospital with minor injuries.
The crash left six people dead and a seventh critically injured (Aaron Chown/PA)
A spokesman for the ambulance service said: “This was an extremely complex and distressing crash scene that required excellent multi-agency teamwork.
“The ambulance service has already debriefed all of the staff involved and will be providing on-going support as required due to the nature of the incident.”
Officers from West Midlands Police are looking into what caused the crash, the force said.
Sergeant Alan Hands said: “We are currently dealing with a very serious collision and working with partner agencies to establish what caused this collision to happen.
“Our thoughts and deepest sympathies remain with the families of those who have very sadly lost their lives this morning and those who have been injured or caught up in this incident.”
Three men in a third vehicle were among those who died (Aaron Chown/PA)
West Midlands Fire Service said 40 firefighters helped in the aftermath of the “horrific” crash.
Area Commander Jason Campbell said: “The first West Midlands Fire Service crews arrived in less than four minutes and were met with a complex scene, spread over some distance.
“Our firefighters’ actions involved stabilising vehicles, releasing the dead and injured, as well as administering CPR and first aid.
“All of the emergency services worked together and co-ordinated their response in extremely challenging circumstances, doing all they possibly could to minimise the loss of life.”
The road will remain closed on Sunday.