Minor injuries and whiplash for couple after car catches fire - 14/04/2008

A couple, who survived what could have been a fatal accident when their car caught fire, were taken to hospital for minor injuries and whiplash.

The accident, which happened on the Chelmsford bound carriageway of the A12, saw a 41-year-old man from and a 39-year-old woman, both from Clapton, smash into the back of a Toyota Landcruiser in their Ford Fiesta. The couple were very lucky to escape just with minor injuries and whiplash after their car burst into flames. The man suffered a broken leg and chest injuries while the woman sustained head injuries and whiplash.

Fireman on hand testified to the lucky escape. Ingatestone fire station sub-officer Calvin Goody, who attended the incident, said: "It was a bad crash. They were very lucky. "We quite easily could have been talking about something else this morning."

Three men travelling in the Toyota Landcruiser suffered minor whiplash injuries. The 38, 55 and 63-year-old men all came from Ipswich.

A 34-year-old from Chelmsford travelling in a Vauxhall Vectra which was hit by the shunted Toyota also suffered minor injuries.

Whiplash is a common injury in cases where a number of cars shunt into the back of each other after an incident. The symptoms of whiplash are usually minor but in some cases can involve long term suffering.