M62 bridge fall: 33-year-old woman dies after overnight closure 2026

Key Points

• A 33-year-old woman died following a fall from the bridge above the M62 motorway in West Yorkshire.
• According to West Yorkshire Police, an off-duty police officer discovered her at the wrong side of railings at 11:42pm on September 8, 2026.
• As a result of this incident, the M62 motorway was shut in both directions between Junction 25 (Brighouse) and Junction 22 (Denshaw).
• In spite of efforts made by medical workers, the woman died on the spot; her death is not regarded as suspicious, and the coroner has been notified about this fact.
• It should be mentioned that all lanes of the M62 were opened slightly earlier than 7 am on September 9, 2026.
• The incident gained additional publicity due to the fact that the actor John Barrowman posted videos from the scene of the accident on social media.

Manchester (Manchester Mirror) September 9, 2026 — A 33-year-old woman has died after falling from a bridge over the M62 motorway, in an incident that closed the route in both directions overnight and prompted a major emergency response.

As reported by staff at The Telegraph and Argus, West Yorkshire Police said an off-duty officer came across the woman on the wrong side of railings above the eastbound carriageway at 11.42pm on Tuesday, 8 September 2026. The force said the M62 was closed in both directions while specialist negotiators were called to the scene. A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said:

“Sadly, the woman fell from height and despite medical assistance, she died at the scene.”

The road was closed while enquiries were carried out, before reopening fully after the scene was cleared. West Yorkshire Police said the death is not being treated as suspicious and that the coroner has been informed.

What was the scale of the M62 closure and disruption?

National Highways first reported the closure at around 2am on Wednesday, describing it as a police-led incident, with diversions put in place for motorists. Further updates through the early hours confirmed the motorway remained closed while emergency services attended and enquiries were carried out.

By around 5am, National Highways said the road remained closed as the incident continued. An hour later, the westbound carriageway had reopened, although lane one of the eastbound carriageway remained closed. Motorists faced delays of around 20 minutes, with congestion stretching for approximately two miles.

National Highways confirmed all lanes had reopened shortly before 7am and that there were no remaining delays in the area.

Who responded at the scene and what did police say?

West Yorkshire Police led the response, with specialist negotiators called after the woman was found on the wrong side of the railings. Emergency services attended the scene, and medical assistance was provided.

In a full statement quoted by The Oldham Times, West Yorkshire Police said:

“At 11.42pm last night (8 September) an off-duty officer came across a 33 year old woman on the wrong side of the railings at [a bridge] above the M62 eastbound. The M62 was closed in both directions whilst negotiators were called. Sadly, the woman fell from height, and despite medical assistance, she died at the scene. The road was closed whilst enquiries were carried out. It has since reopened. Her death is not being treated as suspicious and the Coroner has been informed.”

Why did the incident attract wider attention online?

The incident drew broader attention after actor John Barrowman shared video footage from stationary traffic shortly after midnight on 9 September, showing emergency services on the opposite carriageway. As reported by The Telegraph and Argus, the video was posted at around 12.21am, before police released details about the incident.

Alongside the footage, the actor wrote: “M62 Leeds to Manchester closed due to a person lying in the middle of the motorway. Possibly a suicide or a chase gone wrong.. I hope they are ok.” In the video, he said:

“We are heading from Leeds to Manchester on the M62 and we have been stopped because someone is lying in the middle of the other side of the motorway and there’s a lot of police, a lot of ambulances. We think the person may have jumped from the bridge. We don’t know… but the ambulance is there, but we are now stuck here for a while, so I hope that person is okay.”

The post prompted a strong reaction online, with many social media users criticising the decision to film and share footage from the scene. One user wrote: “Now imagine it is your loved one how traumatic to see footage – have some decency and remove it.” Another said: “Delete now please, so insensitive.” A third commented: “Why on earth would you post this? That’s someone’s family member. Visuals not needed, words would have sufficed.” Others questioned why the scene was being filmed at all, with one person writing: “Why are you filming it? Have some decency for that person and their loved ones.” Another added: “Jesus wept have you no empathy at all? Filming this is awful. Posting it is despicable.” The video was later deleted.

West Yorkshire Police later confirmed a 33-year-old woman had died after falling from a height above the eastbound carriageway.

What support is available after such incidents?

When life is difficult, Samaritans are available day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org.

Background of the development

The M62 is a major trans-Pennine motorway linking Liverpool and Hull, and closures between Junction 22 (Denshaw) and Junction 25 (Brighouse) typically affect commuters and freight traffic across West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester. Overnight police-led incidents on this stretch often require coordinated responses from West Yorkshire Police, National Highways traffic officers, and regional ambulance services, with air assets sometimes deployed depending on the nature of the call. In this case, the closure lasted several hours, with partial reopening in the early morning and full reopening before 7am once the scene was cleared and initial enquiries completed.

Prediction: How this development can affect commuters and local audiences

For regular M62 users and residents in towns such as Huddersfield, Brighouse, and surrounding areas, incidents of this kind can affect journey planning, especially during peak hours when even short closures cause knock-on congestion on alternative routes. The overnight timing limited daytime disruption, but the 20-minute delays and two-mile congestion reported during partial reopening illustrate how sensitive this corridor is to lane closures.

For local audiences, repeated exposure to such incidents—particularly when amplified on social media—can heighten awareness of road safety and the human impact of motorway emergencies, while also prompting discussions about responsible sharing of content from active scenes. In practical terms, commuters may increasingly rely on real-time updates from National Highways and local news outlets to adjust routes, and employers with shift patterns tied to the M62 may factor in greater contingency time following similar police-led closures.