Five injured, one seriously, after car mounts pavement in London

One of the injured is in a ‘life-threatening’ condition in hospital

A car has mounted a pavement and ploughed into a “number of pedestrians” in north London, injuring five people, one of them seriously.

Emergency services are at the scene in Stamford Hill.

Scotland Yard said it is not being treated as terror related. 

“Five people have been injured; one of those is believed to be in a life-threatening condition,” it said in a statement.

“London Ambulance Service were in attendance and have since taken the injured persons to east London hospitals for treatment.”

Other images taken from witnesses appear to show the collision took place near the junction of Lampard Grove, where several independent shops are located, and a silver car, which has smashed into a tree.

Erdem Ergonul, owner of the Best Price shop in Stamford Hill, said he was working at the time when he heard a “big bang”.

He told the Independent: “I turned my head and I saw people flying around.

“I ran over and saw people lying on the pavement. There was loads of blood. It was ridiculous.

“The police have blocked all the roads and shops off. They haven’t told us anything.”

He added: “I don’t know if the driver was going fast or anything. People have been left really badly injured.”

Chaim Hochhauser, the chief executive of the local neighbourhood watch scheme, Shomrim, told the Independent the incident was a “horrendous accident”.

He added: “[There was a] vehicle in collision with four pedestrians. Shomrim reassures the community the incident is not terror related but rather a horrendous accident. Road closures remain in place. We wish all the best to the injured parties.”

The driver of the car worked at a nearby kosher grocery store called Breuer and Spitzer and had been employed there for as many as 40 years, an employee told PA.

The employee declined to name the driver, but said he was in his 70s and had been on furlough since the coronavirus crisis began due to health fears given his age.

He said: “He was a very careful man, always big with health and safety. A very nice man. We’re all in shock, it’s such a surprise.

“I think something must have gone wrong technically with the car or inside him, a health issue maybe.

“He is such nice man, very careful, very safe, everyone knows him.”

Hackney Council has told residents to avoid the area, adding that the A10 road is closed in both directions between Clapton Common and Cazenove Road.

A London Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “We were called at 9.37am today (December 11) to reports of a road traffic collision involving a car and pedestrians on Stamford Hill.

“We sent a number of resources to the scene, including six ambulance crews, an incident response officer, a medic in a car, a team leader and our hazardous area response teams.

“Five adults were treated at the scene. We took four to a major trauma centre, and one person was taken to hospital by an Hatzola ambulance crew.”

A statement from the Metropolitan Police said: “Police and London Ambulance Service are in attendance at a collision in Stamford Hill, N16.

“A car is reported to have mounted the pavement and struck a number of pedestrians.

“At this early stage, this incident is not being treated as terror-related.

“Enquiries are ongoing; no arrests have been made. Anyone with information, video or images that could assist police are asked to call 101 ref CAD/1782.”