In a dramatic incident that paralyzed south London, a police van, in response to an emergency call, collided violently with a bus in the Kennington area, leaving a trail of destruction and six injured officers. The accident occurred near Kennington subway station on the morning of February 14, 2024, causing alarm and mobilizing a large contingent of emergency services.
Photographs taken at the scene reveal the severity of the impact, with the police van crashed into a pole and severely damaged, to the point where one of its side doors was removed and a large section of the rear of the vehicle was cut by firefighters to free one of the officers trapped in the wreckage.
The remaining five officers were transported to the hospital as a precaution, while the bus involved in the accident had a shattered windshield and considerable damage to the right side of the front.
London Police confirmed that fortunately, the injuries suffered by those involved in the incident do not pose a risk to life.
The London Ambulance Service (LAS) provided assistance to 11 people at the scene, two of whom were released without the need for hospitalization.
A spokesperson for the London Fire Brigade (LFB) reported that three passengers who had left the bus before the arrival of the firefighters were also taken to the hospital. A rescue operation was necessary to free a police officer who was trapped inside the van, and he was later transported to the hospital along with other officers, also as a precaution.
The incident prompted a massive response from emergency services, with two fire trucks from the Clapham and Peckham stations, as well as a rescue and fire unit from the Battersea Fire Station, being dispatched to the scene.
A spokesperson for Transport for London expressed relief that no serious injuries had been reported, mentioning that an investigation is underway to determine the exact circumstances of the accident, in collaboration with the bus operator and the police.
The Metropolitan Police are handling the incident, maintaining road closures in the area while investigations continue. This accident not only caused significant disruptions in local traffic but also raised questions about the safety of emergency call response in densely populated areas.
