Paramedics ‘took too long’ to help London Bridge victims

PARAMEDICS deployed to the London Bridge terror attack waited two hours before attempting to treat some victims amid confusion that more gunmen were on the loose, an inquest heard yesterday.

Paul Woodrow, director of operations at the London Ambulance Service (LAS) said it took “too long” to make a decision to commit specialist teams to treat victims in Borough Market amid “chaotic” scenes.

The hearing was told that soon after the attack on June 3 2017, police stopped medics entering the courtyard area around the Boro Bistro restaurant – where five of the victims died – due to reports of shots being fired nearby.

LAS medics were aware of patients requiring treatment in the underground courtyard, but were unable to reach them as a high security “hot zone” was placed over the area.

Mr Woodrow also described how paramedics believed the van used by the knifemen, who went on to kill eight people, may have been filled with explosives, further hampering their efforts to tend to the wounded.

Evidence previously submitted suggested that victims James Mcmullan and Sebastien Belanger could have survived had they received quicker professional medical assistance.

However, Dr Fenella Wrigley, medical director of the LAS, said yesterday the pair were in “unsalvageable situations”.

Mr Woodrow, who has carried out a review of London Ambulance Service’s actions, vowed to ensure his staff learn from their mistakes.

The Old Bailey heard paramedics volunteered to enter the so-called “hot zone” after midnight – two hours after the stabbing spree began at 10.06pm.

Policy agreed by London emergency services dictates that only firearms officers can be deployed into the restricted area, meaning a team of more than 20 ambulance crews were ordered to wait at various rendezvous points away from the carnage.

Mr Woodrow’s recommendations to prevent a similar situation in a future attack included “technological upgrades”, such as deploying drones for surveying restricted areas and GPS tracking of LAS staff radio handsets. The inquests continue.