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More than 10 people have been taken to hospital for “minor and heat-related conditions” as huge queues of traffic were stranded on the M25 for hours during the red heat alert, following a serious crash between a van and lorry.<\/b><\/p>\n
South East Coast Ambulance Service (Secamb) said it had responded to calls between junctions six and seven on the M25, near Godstone, after a section of the motorway was closed and a man was airlifted to hospital.<\/p>\n
As Secamb described the congestion as “severe and prolonged”, people took to social media to ask emergency services for help.<\/p>\n
Surrey Police has been approached for comment.<\/p>\n
The ambulance service said there had been a number of calls from people suffering from heat-related illnesses including a number of coach passengers.<\/p>\n
It confirmed its crews had left the scene after assessing and treating patients, taking 10 to hospital.<\/p>\n
A number of people took to social media to ask for help from the emergency services, including Folkestone and Hythe MP Tony Vaughan.<\/p>\n
In a post, Vaughan addressed police and highways teams as he said: “Please sort this out urgently. People need water and some may need evacuation. You have protocols for this situation – please implement them – this is an emergency!”<\/p>\n
He said one constituent had been stuck on the M25 near Oxted for eight hours, adding: “It is 40 degrees in her car. She has kids with her. She is running out of water.<\/p>\n
“The person from the car in front has been airlifted to hospital with dehydration. Police seem to be saying it’s not their job to give out water.”<\/p>\n
One woman posted on Facebook: “My parents have been stuck on the M25 for over 4.5 hours, no information, no supplies.<\/p>\n
“There are elderly people, babies, animals, people with health conditions out there on the tarmac in the middle of a red heat warning on the hottest June day for 50 years!<\/p>\n
“Can the police not coordinate some water and assistance? The exits are taking hours!”<\/p>\n
Susan Taylor replied to Secamb’s Facebook update: “My daughter and I were stuck in this from 10.15am, We also had a minor bump from a poor lady who collapsed at the wheel of her car due to heat stroke”.<\/p>\n
Thanking emergency crews “struggling through the traffic”, she added: “Also a huge thank you to the other drivers who helped and to the drivers that passed handing us water and even ice appeared”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n