First victim named after horror smash

CRASH investigators are trying to piece together what caused a collision which killed six – as one of the victims was named as a loving father.

Three men were killed when they were thrown out of their car while a black cab driver and his two passengers, a man and woman, died after the vehicle was left on its side.

A fourth man travelling in the car remains in a critical condition at the city’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

The taxi driver, named locally as Imtiaz Mohammed, had six children all aged under 15 and was described by a cousin as “caring” and “hard-working”.

One of his children had been due to celebrate their birthday today.

Liaqat Ali, his cousin, said: “He was a very nice guy, caring and hard-working.”

Mr Mohammed worked for local firm Castle Cars, which has offices both in Sandwell, West Midlands, and in Birmingham.

Debbie Ormsby, in a statement on behalf of the cab company, said: “Imtiaz was a wonderful young hard-working family man. We were shocked and devastated to learn this morning that it was Imtiaz who lost his life in the serious road traffic collision which had been reported by our drivers in the early hours of Sunday.

“He was loved and respected by all who worked with him and he will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and all the other families affected by this tragedy.’’

Police said they are following various lines of investigation including the condition of the road when the crash happened at Belgrave and Lee Bank Middleway, near Edgbaston, at the junction of Bristol Road, shortly after 1am on Sunday.

Superintendent Sean Phillips, from West Midlands Police, told a press conference: “It is way too early to speculate on the causes of the accident.

“It will take some time to unpick the scene and just understand exactly what’s happened. It would be unfair for me to speculate at this time.”

He confirmed the road had been gritted at 5pm the previous evening.

Asked about the speeds the vehicles were travelling at, and whether all of those involved were wearing seatbelts, Mr Phillips said those will be issues considered during the investigation.

The Ambulance Service, which sent five ambulances and three paramedics to the scene, said it was astonishing that a man and woman in the first car were able to escape with minor injuries despite “extensive damage” to their vehicle.

Three other cars collided as they tried to avoid the scene at the entrance to the underpass.

Of those people, two were taken to Heartlands Hospital with minor injuries.

The ambulance service said they dealt with 13 patients in total.

Police were last night working to contact families of those involved.