One dead and several injured after lorry crashes into house
by Maddie Goodfellow
By Maddie Goodfellow
A man has died and an 11-year-old child is in a life-threatening condition in hospital after several vehicles crashed in south-east London, the Metropolitan Police said.
Officers were called by paramedics at 8.05am on Monday to Broad Walk, in Kidbrooke, where a "number" of people had been injured following the collision involving multiple vehicles and a building.
The driver of the lorry died at the scene, while an 11-year-old child was taken to hospital in a life-threatening condition.
Two men have also been taken to hospital, with one of those later discharged.
The London Ambulance Service treated a further three patients. One was taken to a major trauma centre, one was taken to hospital, and one was discharged.
Pictures on social media also showed an air ambulance in at the scene.
A local resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said the scene was "utterly tragic" after the lorry crashed just 30 metres from his home.
"About 8am when I was preparing school run for my kids, all (of a) sudden police, ambulance siren, helicopter sound went on," he told the PA news agency.
"Local traffic was controlled by police, then I heard people are talking about a lorry crashed into local house... then someone was sent off (in an) air ambulance.
"Bit emotional myself right now after hearing an 11-year-old kid is in serious condition.
"It's utterly tragic - my thoughts are with their loved ones."
One neighbour who lives a couple of doors down from the crash scene told the PA news agency she awoke to what sounded like "an earthquake".
The woman, who asked not to be named, said: "I was asleep at the time because my baby kept me awake in the middle of the night, until about 4.30am.
"So I woke up and just heard a loud bang - it sounded like an earthquake."
A tradesman working along Woolacombe Road at the time of the crash, around 100 metres from the scene, said the first he knew of an incident was when the air ambulance landed.
"I had no idea what happened before that," he said.
"I just heard then saw this air ambulance so I knew something was up."
Fire brigade commander Stephen Irvine said: "We are dealing with a challenging and protractive road traffic collision that has caused extensive damage to a house.
"Specialist Urban Search and Rescue crews and firefighters are working to free one person from a vehicle.
"The London Ambulance Service has treated a number of casualties. We are likely to be at the scene throughout the morning and I’d ask people to avoid the area where possible."
Firefighters from Eltham, Lee Green, Bexley, Croydon and East Greenwich fire stations attended the incident.