Police say 11 Pedestrians have been injured after being hit by a car near the Natural History Museum in London – but police have confirmed the incident was a road accident, not a terrorist incident.
The Metropolitan Police reported that officers were called at 2.21pm to a collision in Exhibition Road, South Kensington.
Officers detained a man at the scene while officers investigate what had happened.
Video footage posted on Twitter showed a man being restrained on the ground in the middle of Exhibition Road in front of what is believed to be a Toyota Prius minicab that had collided with a silver Vauxhall saloon.
Pictures and footage from the scene showed street damage and a massive police presence in the capital’s museum district, home to the NHM, the Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
The area is a magnet for tourists, including lots of families with young children.
Downing Street said that Prime Minister Theresa May is being kept up to date with developments.
Scotland Yard said that “a number of pedestrians” were hurt in an incident in Exhibition Road in South Kensington shortly after 2.20pm.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “Officers are on scene, and the London Ambulance Service have been called”
There were fears this could have been a terrorist incident, but the police confirmed at 6pm that it had been a road accident.
Nine of the 11 injured people were taken to hospital, but it is understood that no one has suffered serious injuries.
An NHM spokeswoman said: “A vehicle has collided with pedestrians near the Natural History Museum entrance at Exhibition Road.
“The Museum’s visitors and staff are always our first priority.
“We are working with emergency services to assess the incident and we are doing all we can.” London Ambulance Service is also at the scene to treat those injured.
Pictures and footage from the scene showed street damage and a massive police presence in the capital’s museum district, home to the NHM, the Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
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