A man was fighting for life today and three others were left injured after a teenage driver ploughed into a group of pedestrians crossing a crowded shopping street in London.
Witnesses described scenes of “utter chaos” as a 19-year-old female driver lost control of an Audi A3 turning a corner in West Kensington at “high speed” last night.
One man in his twenties suffered a suspected broken neck when he was thrown into the air after being hit head-on and was in a critical condition today.
Three other men — one aged 56 and two in their twenties — were also taken to hospital after emergency treatment at the scene.
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Witnesses said the driver had been celebrating her birthday before the collision as she turned from North End Road into Mund Street at about 6.45pm.
One man suffered a suspected broken neck in the horror crash in KensingtonNigel HowardAn 18-year-old onlooker, who claimed to be a former schoolmate of the driver, said: “She was driving from McDonald’s celebrating her birthday and came round the bend at about 60mph.
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“She swung on to the pavement and into one guy, who slammed into the windscreen. He flew up in the air and landed on his head.
Crash scene: Emergency services vehicles in North End Road“The driver then skidded into another man. Two more people were smashed into railings.
“There’s so much blood everywhere — it’s the worst thing I’ve ever seen.”
One witness described the scene as a “battlefield” as members of the public, including three medical students, helped paramedics tending to the wounded on stretchers scattered across the street.
A 20-year-old shopkeeper whose business overlooks the junction said: “It looked like the end of a battle in a film, with bodies on stretchers, children crying and doctors racing around trying to save people.”
IT worker Srivinas Namilikonda, 32, who had been passing by, said: “It was a horrific feeling. I have never seen anything like this before. So many people were crying.”
The driver was arrested and remains in police custody. A passenger in the Audi was treated for minor injuries.
The Met Police said: “A 56-year-old man and two men in their twenties are in a non-life-threatening condition. A fourth man, in his twenties, remains in a critical condition.
“The car involved stopped at the scene. A 19-year-old woman was arrested by officers on suspicion of causing injury by dangerous driving. Inquiries are ongoing.”
Witnesses should contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.