London double-decker crashes into building, multiple passengers injured (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)
A double-decker bus has crashed into a building in southern London, injuring several passengers, medics said.
The incident happened in Lavender Hill, a shopping and residential street in the Battersea area, on Thursday morning.
London Fire brigade, ambulance and Metropolitan police are working at the scene.
Looks like they are still trying to get people off the bus on #lavenderhill!!!! pic.twitter.com/diPhqZXief
— Maude Grant (@MaudeCGrant) August 10, 2017
"The driver has been taken to a south London hospital. A number of passengers were treated by LAS [London Ambulance Service] at the scene," police said in a statement, adding that the road is currently closed to traffic.
#London#buscrash 2 trapped and multiple injured as #doubledecker smashes into shop in #LavenderHill Aftermath emergency services at scene pic.twitter.com/ntcl4Zd4MU
— sudhakar (@naidusudhakar) August 10, 2017
Emergency services remain at the scene in Lavender Hill. Driver taken to hospital. Two passengers remain trapped on the upper deck
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) August 10, 2017
London ambulance services said that medical staff are treating six patients following the incident.
#lavenderhill at a standstill? Looks like a bus has crashed into a building! pic.twitter.com/Pnq3mLPV8t
— Maude Grant (@MaudeCGrant) August 10, 2017
Later, the London Fire Brigade said that two trapped passengers from the upper deck had been “brought to safety.”
“Crews used an aerial ladder platform to bring two passengers who had been trapped on the upper deck of the bus to safety,” it said.
#Battersea bus update: Crews working with @Ldn_Ambulance have brought two people trapped on the top deck to safety https://t.co/CUpL3FtTalpic.twitter.com/Hs6m7TIkLP
— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) August 10, 2017
“I was on the top floor at the back, fortunately,” passenger Andrew Matthews told the Press Association.
“I noticed the bus drifting. I heard a smash and saw the roof of the shop going through [the bus] from the front left. It went to the fourth or fifth row [of seats]. I noticed a lady wedged in the front right-hand side. She was screaming for help. There was a lot of blood,” he added.
Our crews will remain at the scene in #Battersea to help stabilise the shop hit by the bus on #LavenderHill. More https://t.co/CUpL3FtTalpic.twitter.com/F7huQQ1r7c
— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) August 10, 2017
Local resident Solange Morin said that she saw a woman “shouting and banging on the glass [of the bus].”
"I went on to the bus. I talked to her and was holding her hands. She was pinned. I wouldn't have been able to get her out. She was so scared because people were shouting fire. There was a lot of smoke," she added, as cited by the BBC.