Mairead Smythand
Laura O’Neill,North West
A two-car crash that killed four people in Bolton on Sunday was a “tragedy waiting to happen” in an area that has seen regular crashes in recent months a neighbour has said.
Taxi driver Masrob Ali, 54, from Blackburn, Lancashire, died when his car was involved in the head-on collision on Wigan Road.
Three teenagers also died – Muhammad Danyaal Asghar Ali, 19, Farhan Patel, 18, and Mohammed Jibrael Mukhtar, 18 – all from Bolton.
Gulam Patel, who has lived on Wigan Road for 25 years, said there had been “four or five” crashes on the road in just the last year.
“It’s happened before but this time it’s four lives gone,” the 61-year-old said.
He said the situation was “frightening” for the families who live on the street and speed cameras or speed bumps need to be installed to slow drivers down.
“They drive very fast and this road is very busy,” he continued.
“I have eight grandkids that come here, my son lives two doors away and he has two kids. Families aren’t safe.
“We can’t even park our cars outside our own home, that’s how unsafe it is.”
Greater Manchester Police is continuing to investigate the circumstances of the crash.
Taxi driver Ali was in a dark Citroen, while the three teenagers were in a red Seat.
In the Citroen, a 29-year-old woman suffered potentially life-threatening injuries, a 28-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man suffered serious injuries and a 29-year-old man has minor injuries.
An 18-year-old man, who was a passenger in the Seat, remains in hospital with minor injuries.
On Monday Ali’s daughter Humayra Ali said his family were “devastated” and heartbroken.
“My first thought was how scared my father must have been in that one split moment before his life was lost,” she said.
“It’s absolutely devastating, we are all in shock – even in denial.
“I feel like it’s just a bad dream that I’m about to wake up from.
“He was just a really good man – anyone would say so.
“Anyone who has known him would say he’s a kind man – very generous, has a big heart.”
