Woman, 27, in serious condition after fatal van crash in central London
Police were called to the Strand at 11.41am on Tuesday after the incident which left one woman dead and two others injured.
A 27-year-old woman is in hospital in a serious condition after a van crash in central London which left a woman in her 20s dead, the Metropolitan Police have said.
Officers were called to the Strand in central London at 11.41am on Tuesday after the crash in which one woman was pronounced dead at the scene and two other people were injured.
On Wednesday, the force said that a 27-year-old woman is in a serious condition hospital but her injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
A 23-year-old man who was taken to hospital and has now been discharged.
The woman who was pronounced dead at the scene is not being named, at the request of her family.
The 26-year-old van driver, who was detained at the scene of the crash on suspicion of causing death by careless driving, was further arrested while in custody on suspicion of drug driving offences and has since been bailed with conditions while inquiries continue.
On Wednesday, Chief Superintendent Thomas Naughton, of the Met’s roads and transport policing command, described it as a “complex investigation”.
He said: “Our team is continuing to establish the facts around this extremely upsetting incident.
“The investigation remains in the early stages and officers continue to gather CCTV and obtain witness statements from those at the scene.
“The 26-year-old man who was arrested has since been bailed whilst our inquiries continue.
“This is a complex investigation which remains a priority to ensure justice for those affected.”
Police said the incident is not being treated as terror-related and that crime scene cordons in the area have been lifted.
Detective Chief Superintendent Christina Jessah, in charge of policing for the area, said: “This was a tragic incident which has deeply affected the community.
“I commend the actions of the emergency services and members of the public, who provided aid to those involved who tried to save this young woman’s life and help the others who were injured.
“This area of London is extremely busy and those who have been in the area over the last 24 hours would have noticed an increased police presence as our inquiries continue.”
She added: “We are aware of inaccurate speculation online about this incident being terrorism-related. We ask the public to refrain from this speculation to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation and avoid causing further suffering to the family of the young woman.
“Our thoughts remain with the family of the young woman who has died.”
