Five people hurt in eight-vehicle crash on Glasgow M8 Published duration 20 April 2015

media caption Two people were trapped in cars following the crash

Five people - including a child - have been hurt in a crash involving eight vehicles on the M8 in Glasgow.

Six cars, a council van and a lorry collided on the westbound carriageway, between J18 Charing Cross and J19, before the Kingston Bridge, at 09:00.

All five casualties were taken to hospital but their injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

The westbound M8 was closed for more than three hours while emergency services dealt with the incident.

It has since re-opened.

It is understood that three of the injured people were taken to the city's Western Infirmary, another to the Southern General Hospital and a child to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children at Yorkhill.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service incident commander Eddie Ritchie said: "This was clearly a significant collision and our appliances from Yorkhill, Govan and Polmadie were mobilised along with the heavy rescue vehicle from Easterhouse.

image copyright Garry Reid image caption The westbound carriageway has been closed between J18 and J19

"There were a number of walking wounded. Three people were trapped inside three cars and firefighters removed the vehicles' roofs to ensure they could be safely released.

"It was a challenging operation - the cars were positioned against the wall beside the hard shoulder, but our firefighters were working alongside paramedics and trauma doctors who were attending to the casualties as we worked to extricate them."

Mr Ritchie said police closed off the carriageway to allow fire crews and paramedics to rescue ad treat casualties.

"The removal of the cars' roofs created space for their occupants to be lifted clear on rescue boards," he said.

"The casualties - two women and a man - were then moved to waiting ambulances and taken to hospital. Their injuries were not thought to be life-threatening.

"A child, who had already been safely removed from one of the cars by firefighters, was also taken to hospital for a precautionary check-up and treatment for minor injuries."

image copyright Georgina Deas

image copyright Omer Mohammed

image copyright Rebekah Golding