Truck mows down pedestrians
‘The bin lorry just lost control. It went along the pavement, knocking everyone like pinballs.
SIX PEOPLE died when a refuse truck careered out of control, ploughing into crowds of Christmas shoppers packing central Glasgow yesterday.
Seven people were also seriously injured in the worst traffic accident in living memory in a British city.
Witnesses told how the truck shot through a red light before mounting a pavement, striking pedestrians as it raced along the side of George Square, where a fun fair was in full swing.
A mother and her child in a buggy desperately tried to avoid the vehicle, which halted when it hit the side of a hotel.
The cause of the crash was not clear but there were unconfirmed reports that the driver, who survived, had suffered a heart attack. Police would confirm only that he was also taken to hospital.
Melanie Greg, a witness, said the lorry travelled 150 metres along the pavement until it crashed.
‘‘The bin lorry trol,’’ she said.
‘‘It went along the pavement, knocking everyone like pinballs. A mother with her baby in the pram fainted. Apparently the lorry had just missed her and her child.
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Melanie Greg, witness
‘‘The only way it stopped was hitting the building. People were trying to run out of the way. But when something was coming out behind them like that, how can they run out of the way?
‘‘It was such a horrific thing. There was noise, bangs, screams and everything.’’
Janey Godley said she arrived at George Square to find people ‘‘getting CPR [cardiopulmonary resuscitation] on the ground. There was stuff strewn all over the street, Christmas shopping all over the street.’’
Superintendent Stewart Carle, of Police Scotland, sought to reassure the public, saying: ‘‘It’s a road traffic accident, nothing more sinister.’’
British Prime Minister David Cameron led the condolences.
‘‘My thoughts are with the families of those involved and the emergency services,’’the prime minister said.
Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish first minister, said: ‘‘My thoughts are with everyone involved in the dreadful George Square incident.
‘‘ If you are in the city centre, please let your relatives know you are OK.’’
The disaster is the second to hit Glasgow in just over 12 months.
A police helicopter crashed into the Clutha Vaults pub in November last year, killing 10 people.
The Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy helped to evacuate the pub that day.
He saidthat his thoughts and prayers were with everyone in the George Square accident.
Reports suggested the truck struck pedestrians at the Gallery of Modern Art, a short distance from George Square.
It then mounted a pavement before crashing into the side of the Millennium Hotel, next to Queen Street railway station.
Carle said police would be the scene for many hours.
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