A Calor Gas lorry was involved in a three-vehicle “pile up” this morning (Monday 12 January).

Witnesses say all three drivers “walked away” from the incident on the A489 between Penegoes and Glantwymyn.

A Calor Gas lorry and a large haulage lorry collided head-on at a junction near Abergwydol, with a smaller vehicle also involved.

A Calor Gas lorry was involved in a head-on collision on 12 January near Machynlleth.
A Calor Gas lorry was involved in a head-on collision on 12 January near Machynlleth. (Paul Bullen)

A spokesperson from Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service reported that “three casualties were treated at the scene and conveyed to hospital by road ambulance”.

Emergency services were called to the scene at 9.33am, and left at 1.02pm.

The road was closed into the afternoon as multiple fire teams, police, and ambulances worked on the scene.

One driver who was one of the first to arrive after the crash said the car had pulled out of a side road when the collision occurred.

The Calor Gas lorry collided with a large haulage vehicle.
The Calor Gas lorry collided with a large haulage vehicle. (Paul Bullen)

Paul Bullen, 48, who was arriving at work at a wood workshop on the same side road, said: “It was phenomenal the amount of vehicles involved and the potential for disaster.

“Every person in the accident could have died; the fact that they didn’t is pretty flipping amazing.

“Millimetres and milliseconds could have spelt disaster with three people dead.”

The collision between the two heavy goods vehicles.
The collision between the two heavy goods vehicles. (Tudor Griffiths)

Residents of that road have complained about the dangers of that junction for years, stating that the visibility is not good enough for people pulling out onto the busy A-road.

Tudor Griffiths, whose farm Fronwen on that road has been in his family for three generations, reported that both his mother and brother-in-law had cars “written off” by being rear-ended as they attempted to turn into the side road.

The 59-year-old farmer said: “It’s an accident waiting to happen.

A smaller vehicle was also involved in the collision.
A smaller vehicle was also involved in the collision. (Paul Bullen)

“We’ve had so many accidents its unbelievable, but unless someone is killed the authorities won’t do anything.

“The pile-up today - its lucky they walked away with their lives.

“Someone is going to get killed; it's frightening.

“The roads weren’t designed for the volume of traffic.”

CrashMap data shows seven other incidents close to the junction since 1999.

Tudor’s concerns involve a hedgerow that obscures visibility when leaving the minor road.

Other residents previously placed a rounded mirror opposite the junction in an attempt to improve visibility.

He described that section of A-road as a popular place for overtaking, calling on the authorities to reduce the speed limit or add a white line to stop vehicles overtaking past the junction.

Emergency services were at the scene for four hours.
Emergency services were at the scene for four hours. (Paul Bullen)

Councillor for Glantwymyn, Elwyn Vaughan, has raised this issue with both the Powys County Council and the North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agency, but said: “Whilst residents call for better visibility splay, the official response is that it is to standard.

“I’ve sent pictures of today’s incident to Trunk Road Officers so they can review matters further.

“It may be an idea to have better splay on each side and consider lowering the speed to 50mph on that section.”

Powys County Council and the North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agency have been contacted for comment.