Police investigate how van on 999 call 'catapulted' over car in Bermondsey

 
Collision: the van on its side

An investigation has been launched today after a police van answering a 999 call “catapulted” over a car, injuring five people.

Witnesses described how a police van had been racing down busy Jamaica Road, in Bermondsey, south London, with its lights and siren blaring when it collided with the blue hatchback.

Five people, including a police officer driving the van, were hurt in the crash but none were considered seriously injured, Scotland Yard said.

An eyewitness said: “I saw the van rolling over - it was like something out of Die Hard. I felt sick.”

Melissa Tran, 45, who works in a hairdressers overlooking the scene, described how the police van careered onto its side after swerving to avoid the car.

Police van crash

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She said: “I heard the sirens of the police van and saw it coming down the road and next thing it flew over a car that was coming from another direction.

“I ran outside and saw the van had toppled on its side and the car had spun to face the opposite direction. I ran to the back of the van to get the back door open.

“There were four police officers and one of them was hurt and taken in an ambulance. The driver and passenger of the car got out their car too without help. It was a very lucky escape, it must have been so scary.”

Smashed: the damaged car (Picture: PA)

A London Ambulance Service spokesman said one man was treated for abdomen pain, another man in his 40s was treated for a head injury and a woman in her 20s was treated for back and abdomen pain and all three were taken to hospital.

Two members of the public were treated at the scene by paramedics.

Shopowner Shamoon Chaudary said: “There was a loud bang, and then another as the van hit the ground. The scene was really bad. Luckily everyone was able to get out of the vehicles on their own. The driver of the car was very shocked, you would be if you had a van of that size roll across your car bonnet.”

The road was closed between Abbey Street and Lower Road roundabout for several hours causing gridlock at rush hour.

The crash has now been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission while Met Police traffic officers investigate.

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