A MOTORIST died and ten people were rushed to hospital after a series of pile-ups on the fog-covered A19.
During the mayhem, firefighters and paramedics pulled a number of trapped people from their vehicles including two children.
Delays and diversions are expected to continue throughout today.
Durham Fire and Rescue Service said the three incide
nts involved up to 40 vehicles.
The victim had to be cut from the wreckage after two petrol tankers, three lorries and several cars were involved in a collision on a southbound stretch of the dual-carriageway between Peterlee and Wellfield at around 10.15pm.
An incident hotline - 0191 386 0098- has been set up by police for anyone worried about friends or relatives who may have been involved.
Police were on the scene of the first incident when another 18 vehicles were then involved in a series of minor collisions on the north side of the road. A third crash then happened on the Wellfield slip road involving more vehicles, one of which was a police car.
Rescuers had difficulty reaching motorists in the southbound crash due to vehicles' proximity to the petrol tankers one of which was leaking fuel.
A spokesman for the North East Ambulance service confirmed one fatality but police have not released any further details.
Paramedics and firefighters pulled a number of trapped people from cars caught up in the mayhem including two children.
An ambulance service spokesman said: "It was dealt with as a major incident. There was one fatality and a number of people were taken to hospital."
Two men aged 47 and 50 were rushed to the Sunderland Royal Hospital with abdominal, shoulder and head injuries.
Eight more people including two children were taken to the University Hospital of North Tees suffering from minor injuries.
An off duty paramedic who was on his way home helped out at the scene.
A police spokesman said thick fog in the area is thought to have played a part in what happened.
No-one is believed to have been injured in the two later incidents.
A planned closure of the A19, between 8pm and 6am, had been lifted because of the bad weather.
Police have launched an investigation into the incident and both sides of the A19 and diversions have been put in place.
An accident hotline has been set up by police for anyone worried about friends or relatives who may have been travelling on the A19 on 0191 386 0098.
