11 hurt in London as car slams into pedestrians outside museum

One person detained at scene near Natural History Museum in British capital; injured treated for leg and head wounds

By ToI Staff and Agencies 7 October 2017, 5:53 pm

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Britain's police cars at the scene of an incident in central London, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017. London police say emergency services are outside the Natural History Museum in London after a car struck pedestrians. (AP/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Screenshot from the BBC on Saturday, October 7, 2017, showing the aftermath of an incident in which a driver ran over pedestrains outside the Natural History Museum in London. (Screenshot/BBC)
Screenshot of a man, suspected of running over pedestrians outside the Natural History Museum in London, being detained, October 7, 2017.
Illustrative: Armed police officers on duty in London, at the junction of Exhibition Road and Cromwell Road, between the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Natural History Museum, October 7, 2017. (AFP/Tolga Akmen)
A police forensics officer, center, works at the scene of an incident at the junction of Exhibition Road and Cromwell Road, between the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Natural History Museum, in the South Kensington district of London on October 7, 2017. (AFP/Tolga AKMEN)
Britain's police and emergency services at the scene of an incident in central London, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017. London police say emergency services are outside the Natural History Museum in London after a car struck pedestrians. (AP/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

At least 11 people were injured on Saturday after a car struck pedestrians outside the Natural History Museum in London. One person was detained at the scene, police said.

“We treated 11 patients, mostly for leg and head injuries, and took nine of them to hospital,” Peter McKenna, deputy director of ambulance service operations, said in a statement.

A police spokesman said it was too soon to say whether it was terror related.

“It is believed that a number of pedestrians have been injured. A man (no further details) has been arrested at the scene,” the police said in a statement.

“Enquiries to establish the circumstances and motive are under way.”

A spokesman later said the suspect behind the crash had not been formally arrested, but had been detained.

The crash happened at 2:20 p.m. local time on a day when the central London museum is usually teeming with pedestrians including international tourists. Photographs showed a dented silver car and a man being pinned to the ground outside the museum.

Crowds in the busy tourist spot in South Kensington, which is also home to the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Science Museum, fled screaming in panic.

Screenshot of a man, suspected of running over pedestrians outside the Natural History Museum in London, being detained, October 7, 2017.

Security is high in Britain after five terror attacks in six months — four of them in London and one in Manchester — with the bloodshed claiming 35 lives.

Three of the attacks in London involved the use of a vehicle to plough into pedestrians.

London’s official terrorist threat level has been set at “severe,” indicating an attack is highly likely.

Downing Street said Prime Minister Theresa May was being kept up to date with developments.

A spokesman for the museum said: “I can confirm that there has been a vehicle collision with pedestrians on our Exhibition Road entrance.”

One witness, who gave his name only as Leonard, said: “I was near South Ken station and there were many police.

“Suddenly a police woman officer shouted at the crowd to run, and everybody flew in panic, many people screaming.”

Police said more details would be released later. There was no immediate statement on the number or severity of the injuries.