Bolton cordon LIVE as police car crashes into shop and homes evacuated, tell me about this news today
02-10-2026
Shortly before midday on Friday, October 2, 2026, a police vehicle responding to an emergency call with its blue lights on collided with another car before crashing into a shop on Blackburn Road in Bolton.
Key details of the incident:
Evacuations & Safety Cordon: Surrounding homes and nearby buildings were evacuated after emergency crews detected a strong smell of gas following the impact. A cordon was quickly set up around the area as a safety precaution while engineers and firefighters address the suspected leak.
Road Closures: The A666 Blackburn Road has been shut down in both directionsspecifically between the Asda supermarket in Astley Bridge and Seymour Roadcausing heavy traffic delays across the area.
Injuries: Greater Manchester Police confirmed that emergency services attended the scene, and no serious injuries have been reported.
Emergency Response: Greater Manchester Police, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, the North West Ambulance Service, and gas distribution engineers (Cadent) are on the scene working to make the structure and gas supply safe before reopening the road.