Four people, including three teenagers and a British Bangladeshi taxi driver, were killed in a devastating head-on collision in Bolton, Greater Manchester, in the early hours of Sunday, sending shockwaves through local communities.
The crash occurred around 12:50am on Wigan Road, when a red Seat Leon carrying three young men aged between 18 and 19 collided with a Citroën C4 Picasso taxi. All four men died at the scene.
The teenagers have been named locally as Mohammed Jibrael Mukhtar, Farhan Patel, and Muhammad Danyaal Asghar Ali, according to the Bolton Council of Mosques (BCoM). The taxi driver was Masrob Ali, a 54-year-old Uber driver from Blackburn.
BCoM said it is supporting the grieving families during what it described as an “unimaginably painful time”.
Five other people were injured in the crash. Two passengers who were travelling in Masrob’s taxi were taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries, while others are being treated for less serious conditions.
Residents living near Wigan Road described being jolted awake by the impact. One woman said she heard a “loud bang” before seeing debris scattered across the road and a red car “badly damaged”. Another resident said he heard a vehicle accelerating moments before the crash.
As tributes poured in, Masrob Ali was remembered by his family as a devoted father and a kind, hardworking man. His eldest daughter, Humayra, described him as “the gentlest soul”.
“Nobody has a bad word to say about him,” she said. “He was the best dad anyone could ask for.”
Masrob had left home for work at around 5:16pm on Saturday. Although his family often worried about him driving late at night, he would reassure them not to worry.
When police officers arrived at the family home at around 5:55am, just hours after the crash, the news left them in disbelief.
“I couldn’t understand why they were telling me my dad was dead,” Humayra said.
Masrob had worked as a taxi driver for around a decade. He was known for his love of DIY, often refusing outside help and doing all the work in his home himself. He had even saved to build his own house near a mosque in Blackburn, choosing the location so he could be as close as possible to his place of worship.
Born in Sylhet, Bangladesh, Masrob moved to the UK at the age of 12 and had to learn English from scratch. Despite the challenges, his family said he was determined to build a stable life and give his children the best possible future.
Islamic tradition encourages burial within 24 hours, but due to the ongoing police investigation, this has not yet been possible. The family hopes to hold his funeral in the coming days.
Greater Manchester Police confirmed the collision is under investigation. CCTV footage has been obtained as part of the inquiry.