More than 30 vehicles were involved in a multi-vehicle collision on the M20 near Maidstone on Saturday evening, leaving two people seriously injured and forcing the motorway to be closed in both directions through the night.
Kent Police said they were called at about 6.41pm on 7 November to a collision at junction 9 of the M20, close to Maidstone. The carriageway was shut in both directions while emergency services worked at the scene and the force said the road would remain closed for several hours to allow recovery and investigation work to be completed.
The crash happened in thick fog at a time when the Met Office had issued a fog warning covering much of southern and eastern England. Photographs from the scene showed damaged cars and lorries spread across several lanes of the motorway.
Two people were seriously injured, and other drivers and passengers suffered injuries not believed to be serious. Initial information indicated that one of the seriously injured had been taken to a hospital in London and the other to a local hospital.
Emergency services, including police, ambulance crews and recovery teams, remained at the scene through the night. Kent Police said officers would continue to work with partner agencies to clear the carriageway and to establish the full circumstances of the collision.
Conditions and disruption
Thick fog was reported on the stretch of the M20 and the south east had been under fog warnings for several nights running. The Met Office warning for fog covered much of southern and eastern England on Saturday evening, coinciding with the time of the collision.
The closure on the M20 caused significant knock-on congestion on surrounding A-roads and on routes through Maidstone. Drivers faced delays while traffic was diverted away from the scene and recovery work was carried out.
Photographs taken at and near the junction showed multiple damaged vehicles across lanes, with emergency vehicles at the scene. Recovery crews were seen working to clear wreckage and remove vehicles from the carriageway, while officers conducted an examination of the scene.
Investigation and uncertainty
Kent Police said they had not yet established the cause of the initial collision. The force made clear it had not confirmed whether fog was the decisive factor in what happened and no arrests have been announced in connection with the incident.
There have been claims circulating that firework smoke may have contributed to reduced visibility, but those suggestions are unverified. Police said inquiries were ongoing and that they would consider all possible factors as they investigate the sequence of events leading up to the pile-up.
Officers asked anyone who witnessed the collision or who has relevant dashcam or vehicle camera footage to get in touch to assist the investigation. Kent Police reiterated that recovery and investigation work would take time because of the scale of the incident and the number of vehicles involved.
The collision continued to attract attention into Sunday morning as the carriageway remained closed for much of the night. Drivers planning to use the M20 were advised to expect delays while the road was being cleared and to consider alternative routes.
As the investigation proceeds, authorities are expected to publish further details about the number of casualties and the sequence of events. For now, the confirmed details are that more than 30 vehicles were involved, two people were seriously injured, the motorway was closed in both directions, and recovery and scene examination work continued into the following day.
