An HGV lorry and a 428 bus have collided in Thames Road, Crayford this afternoon.

Emergency services were scrambled to the scene at 3.30pm to reports of a "major incident".

Richard Welch, Bexley fire borough commander, told News Shopper from the scene: "It was put through as a major incident because it was first thought there were 16 people trapped.

"It turns out the 16 people had minor injuries and they were treated by the London Ambulance Service.

"The fire service and LAS worked very quickly to ensure that they were taken care of.

"Police worked very quickly to reopen the road."

A spokesman for London Ambulance Service said: "We were called at 3.31pm to reports of a road traffic accident between a bus and a lorry.

"We sent a number of resources to the scene including six ambulance crews, two single responders, a hazardous area response team with specially trained medics and two ambulance crews support from South East coast Ambulance Service.”

Ambulance crews treated a total of 16 injured people, of whom seven were more seriously hurt.

 

News Shopper:

The lorry's windscreen was cracked in multiple places by the impact with the bus (picture by Chris Hawkswell).

Four of these were taken to King’s College Hospital and three to The Royal London Hospital suffering from complaints including neck and back pain.

These included a four-year-old girl who was taken to King’s College as a priority.

Six people were taken to Lewisham Hospital with minor injuries and a further three were treated at the scene and not deemed to require hospital treatment.

A TfL spokesman confirmed a route 428 bus had been involved in a collision with an HGV in Thames Road, near to Kennett Road in Crayford at around 3.30pm.

Metropolitan Police are also in attendance on Thames Road were road closures are expected to be in place until around 5.30pm this afternoon.

A Met Police spokesperson said: "We were called at around 3.35pm this afternoon to reports of a collision between a lorry and bus on Thames Road.

"LAS are also on the scene and are treating a number of casulaties but it does not sound as if any of those injuries are life-threatening.

"Road closures are in place but this is mainly to ensure the safety of ambulance crews."

There are also reports of an air ambulance on the scene.

Thames Road resident, 18-year-old Leah Nicholson said: "They were taking the bus away around 5.30pm and somebody was taken away in an air ambulance."

Did you see what happened? Call the newsroom on 01689 885702.