Multiple people have died after a crash involving a police vehicle in the early hours of Saturday morning, police said.
The two-vehicle crash, which also involved a Volkswagen Passat, took place on the A66 in South Bank, near Middlesbrough, at about 3.39am on Saturday.
The A66 is closed in both directions between Normanby Road and Church Lane in Eston.
There is significant emergency response at the scene and people should use alternative routes as the road “will remain closed for some time”, Cleveland Police said.
North East Ambulance Service said it had been called to a two-vehicle crash and sent 14 units to the scene including ambulance crews, a specialist paramedic, a hazardous area response team and a doctor from Great North Air Ambulance Service.
A spokesperson for the service said: “Sadly, despite the best efforts of everyone attending, a number of patients died at the scene.
“We send condolences to all of those affected by such a tragic event and thank everyone for all they did to help.”
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Anna Turley, MP for the Redcar constituency where the crash happened, said: “I am deeply saddened to hear of the fatal collision on the A66 this morning.
“My thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those who have lost their lives, and with everyone affected by this terrible incident.
“Thank you to all of our emergency services, who have worked through the night responding to this devastating incident.”
She added: “We would ask everyone to avoid speculating online to respect the families and the police while they do their work at this terrible time.
A Cleveland Police spokesperson said: “Around 3.39am this morning, a collision took place involving a police vehicle and a Volkswagen Passat on the A66 in South Bank.