King’s College LIVE: One dead as van drives into crowd on London’s Strand

A dark blue van with a smashed headlight and a dent on the front right corner remained by the police cordon after the fatal crash in central London.

Miles Damone, a student at King’s, told the BBC he saw the van ram “into the fence”.

He said: “The van came from one of the side roads by the Indian Embassy and then at this point – I didn’t see how or when – crashed into the people.

“I just saw it coming from there, [it] made a sharp turn and just rammed into the fence.”

Ali, a PhD student at King’s College, initially thought the emergency services were there for a protest outside the university until he saw ambulance workers carrying stretchers.

“[It] is so sad and hard to process – my thoughts go out to her family and friends,” he said.

“We walk by that crossing all the time and it’s pedestrianised; barely any vehicles pass.”

A witness who gave his name as Josh said he heard a “bang” and “screams” at the time of the accident.

He said the van involved had driven out of a nearby service yard and through a gate before a group of people rushed over to help the victims.

He added: “We all went over there and then obviously one of my mates, he went in there, grabbed some first aiders and came out, we tried to get people away and all that.”

Two other pedestrians were injured, one with life-threatening injuries and the other with minor injuries.

Police vehicles are now being driven away from the fatal crash scene.

The arrested man remains in custody and inquiries are ongoing, the Met said.

A woman aged in her 20s has died after a van crash in central London. Emergency sevices were called to The Strand, near King’s College London, at 11.41am this morning (Tuesday, March 18).

Three other people were injured in the crash. Two pedestrians were taken to hospital, one with potentially life-threatening injuries and one with minor injuries, while the fourth was discharged at the scene.

A man, 26, has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by careless driving and driving with concentration of specified controlled drug above the limit.

Here is a video from the crash scene in central London.

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called today (Tuesday) at 11.39am to reports of an incident in The Strand, WC2.

“We sent resources to the scene including ambulance crews, advanced paramedics, an incident response officer, a clinical team manager and London’s air ambulance.

“We treated four people at the scene. Sadly, despite our best efforts one person was pronounced dead. We took two other people to hospital and one was discharged at scene.”

According to the BBC, King’s College London are working with emergency services following the crash.

London Ambulance services sent paramedics, an incident response officer, a clinical team manager and the air ambulance to the crash scene.

Police are restricting access to the King’s Building. Students are still able to enter via via Somerset House and the Macadam entrance. Bush House can also be accessed via the North East Wing on Aldwych.

London Fire Brigade said two fire engines and 10 firefighters from Dowgate and Lambeth fire stations were called to the scene of the crash.

Police have cordoned off a section of the street after the van crash.

Miles Damone told the BBC he saw a van “ram into a fence”.

He said: “The van came from one of the side roads by the Indian embassy and then at this point – I didn’t see how or when – crashed into the people.

“I just saw it coming from there, made a sharp turn and just rammed into the fence. It rammed into the side of the church.”

Pictures from the scene of the crash this afternoon. Emergency services are in attendance and a police cordon is in place.

According to the Roar, witnesses were crying at the scene of the crash this afternoon.

Police are restricting access to the King’s Building as well as access to Bush House via the South and South-East entrances.

One person at the scene said: “We saw people lying down with people with ambulances around them… Everyone’s kind of shocked, I guess.”

A student told Roar: “It was nuts. I saw a van going so fast and swerving out of the way of people then I heard a loud crash.”

Police said in an appeal: “Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or post @MetCC ref CAD 2771/18MARCH.

“To remain 100% anonymous contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

The Metropolitan Police said: “Police are on scene and dealing with a collision close to The Strand, WC2.

“Officers were called at 11:41hrs on Tuesday, 18 March following a collision involving a van and pedestrians.

“Three pedestrians suffered injuries, with a woman in her twenties sadly pronounced dead at the scene. Two pedestrians have been taken to hospital, one has potentially life-threatening injuries, and the other has minor injuries.

“The driver of the van, a 26-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion causing death by careless driving and driving with concentration of specified controlled drug above specified limit.

“He remains in custody. Enquiries are ongoing and a crime scene is in place. This collision is not being treated as terrorism-related.”

Police say the driver of the van, a 26-year-old man, was arrested at the scene on suspicion causing death by careless driving and driving with concentration of specified controlled drug above specified limit.

He remains in custody.

The Metropolitan Police have confirmed that a van has crashed into several pedestrians on the Strand.

A picture from the scene shows a blue sheet being put up.

Photos from the scene show someone being treated by paramedics.

One witness at the scene told LBC they heard “a few girls may have been hit”. They said: “I’m waiting for my friends to come out, they sound pretty shaken but I don’t know what they saw.”

The Metropolitan Police have confirmed that the crash was not terror-related.

Google Maps shows the location of King’s College.

Video footage shows a number of emergency services at the scene this afternoon.