Trapped cattle forced to be put down after livestock lorry crash shuts M1

Sunday World

16-05-2025

The driver of the vehicle is 'safe and well' but dozens of cattle remained trapped following the incident on Friday morning
Both lanes of M1 blocked between junction 13 and 12 due to a Livestock Transporter on its side. Photo: MP Doran
Fire crews have almost completed a complex rescue operation after a lorry carrying 40 cows overturned on the M1.
Most of the cows have been transferred to another lorry and are waiting to be moved from the site.
However, a small number of the animals have had to be euthanised.
A section of the route, from junction 12 at the Birches in Portadown and junction 13 near the Black Island Road turn-off, has been closed for most of the day.
NI Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) Area Commander David Doherty told BBC Radio Ulster's The Nolan Show this morning that the driver of the vehicle is 'safe and well'.
Dozens of cattle remained trapped following the incident on Friday morning.
The westbound junction 11 to junction 12 is likely to remain closed for some time.
NIFRS area commander David Doherty Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire
'At the minute, we have firefighters on scene, we have appliances form Dungannon, Portadown and Armagh,' Mr Doherty previously said.
'We have two specialist animal rescue teams, and we have our specialist rescue team from Central fire station at the minute.
'We have an overturned lorry. The driver is safe and well. There are 40 cattle trapped in the lorry, we are carrying out an extraction of those animals.
'We have a rescue plan in place we are off loading those animals and we will transport them away safely.
'It is a challenging operation at the moment. Both ways of the motorway are currently closed, and may be for several hours.'
He added: 'I cannot speculate (on how the lorry overturned), the Fire Service is concentrating on the rescue.
'We have vets on scene at the minute to do an assessment on the animals, the vets are for their welfare.
Both lanes of M1 blocked between junction 13 and 12 due to a Livestock Transporter on its side. Photo: MP Doran
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'It is a multi-agency programme, and we have DAERA here for the animal welfare.
'It will be a proactive operation. A large vehicle like this with two decks, which has obviously been affected by the impact of the crash.
'It is quite a comprehensive operation, that is why our specialist crew are here with our normal crews. It is quite a complex task for our fire fighters.
'We are rescuing them (cows) as quick as we can as with any vehicle accident. There will be issues there, there is entrapment.
'But we are working as fast as we can for their welfare. We have to do it as quickly and as safely as possible.
'We have to work to bring them out onto a safe environment, where we can put them onto another vehicle so they can't be exposed to any further harm.
'It is closed from exit 12 up until exit 13.'
Linda Dillon (Pic: Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker)
Mid Ulster MLA Linda Dillon has expressed relief that the driver was unharmed.
'This is major disruption and it is good to hear that the lorry driver is safe and well and vets are on the scene to assess the cattle,' the Sinn Féin representative said.
'Emergency services are at the scene and we hope the overturned lorry will be removed as quickly as possible and the M1 reopens soon but I would advise drivers to avoid the area for the time being.
'We have been contacted by students who were due to sit final exams in Belfast this morning and this has caused them a great deal of distress.
'I have been in contact with universities to see if anything can be done to facilitate these students.'
Lurgan councillor, Peter Haire, has called urged road users to allow for extra time on their journeys as traffic is being diverted through Moira.
'It's going to cause chaos for people travelling to Belfast,' said the DUP representative.
'I would urge people to take alternative routes. It helps that it is a Friday and people may be working from home.
'However, a lot of people will be travelling to the Balmoral Show. So there is going to be a lot of delay.
'I would ask people to take more time for their journey, and take a different route.'
Police said a closure remains in place this afternoon. Motorists travelling city-bound on the M1 are advised to leave the motorway at junction 15, the Moy Road roundabout, and travel through Armagh before joining the M12 at Portadown. The opposite applies to those travelling countrywards.