A male lorry driver has been airlifted to hospital with serious injuries after he was involved in a multi-vehicle crash.
Emergency services were called to the A14 eastbound between Bury St Edmunds and Blackthorpe at just after 3pm to reports of a collision between three cars and two lorries.
The East of England Ambulance Service was alerted at 3.10pm and sent two ambulance crews, two ambulance officers, a rapid response vehicle, the East Anglian Air Ambulance and the Hazard Area Response Team to the scene.
A male lorry driver believed to be in his 40s was treated at the scene for “very serious injuries” to his legs and pelvis, an ambulance spokesman said.
The man was trapped in the lorry by his legs and had to be freed by firefighters.
Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service sent one crew and a rescue vehicle from Bury St Edmunds and one crew from Elmswell.
A brigade spokesman said: “Due to a difficult rescue and heavy trapping of the casualty in the HGV, the officer in charge requested a second heavy rescue vehicle, this was sent on from Princes Street, Ipswich.”
The lorry driver was airlifted to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge in a serious condition.
Around 50 litres of diesel had leaked onto the highway and this was dealt with by fire crews.
Motorists have been advised to avoid the area and not to film the collision.
A tweet from police in Bury St Edmunds warned drivers anyone caught doing so would be summonsed to court.
The westbound carriageway was initially closed to allow the air ambulance to land.
The eastbound carriageway is expected to be closed for some four-five hours while an investigation takes place.
A diversion has been put in place at J44, Bury Eastern Interchange.
Anyone who saw the collision is asked to call police 101, quoting CAD number 230 of April 20.
At 5.30pm another crash happened on the eastbound carriageway of the A14 at Risby involving three vehicles.
The East of England Ambulance Service Trust sent two ambulances and an ambulance officer.
Paramedics treated two patients - one with suspected neck, back and chest injuries and one with minor facial injuries - and they were both taken to West Suffolk Hospital for further care.
The road was clear by 6.40pm.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here