An inquest has officially opened into the untimely death of a man who tragically lost his life after falling onto the carriageway near the Dartford Crossing.

The incident unfolded on January 6, 2024, when authorities were alerted to an emergency on the A282, situated on the Kent side of the carriageway. Concerns for a person’s welfare led to a massive response from emergency services, causing significant traffic disruptions. The Dartford Bridge and the southbound lanes of the M25 between Junctions 30 and 2 were temporarily closed to facilitate the response.

Shortly after 1:30 PM, first responders arrived at the scene and, regrettably, confirmed the man’s death.

An inquest into the 39-year-old’s death commenced yesterday at Oakwood House in Maidstone. The court identified the deceased as Grzegorz Sierkowski, a resident of Hart Place, Maidstone. Sierkowski was an unemployed individual of Polish nationality. The cause of his tragic demise was attributed to multiple traumatic injuries sustained during the incident.

A full-scale inquest into the circumstances surrounding Mr Sierkowski’s death is scheduled to take place at the same venue in Maidstone on June 20, 2024. This proceeding aims to shed light on the events leading up to the tragic incident and provide answers to questions surrounding the circumstances of his fall onto the Dartford Crossing A282 carriageway.

The community and authorities await the outcome of the inquest, hoping it will offer insights into the circumstances of this unfortunate event and provide closure to the family and friends of Grzegorz Sierkowski.