Commuters in Liverpool faced severe travel disruption on Friday evening after a serious collision involving a lorry and three other vehicles forced the closure of a major arterial route. The crash occurred just before 5:20 pm on the eastbound carriageway of the East Lancashire Road in the Gilmoss area, specifically at the busy junction of Portal Way and Willow Way heading toward the M57 and St Helens. Emergency services rushed to the scene, and Merseyside Police halted all eastbound traffic while paramedics assessed those involved and recovery teams worked to clear the damaged vehicles and debris from the carriageway. Drivers were strongly urged to avoid the area and seek alternative routes as heavy congestion built up across surrounding roads during the peak evening rush hour. Police have launched an investigation into the cause of the four-vehicle pile-up and are appealing to the public for assistance. Officers are asking anyone who witnessed the collision or who may have captured relevant dashcam footage while travelling along the East Lancashire Road around the time of the crash to contact the Merseyside Police Contact Centre quoting reference number 26000931960.