“Carnage” – Neighbours describe moment lorry crashes into Kidbrooke house, killing its driver and leaving 11-year-old with life-threatening injuries

Neighbours have spoken of the “carnage” they witnessed when a lorry ploughed into the living room of a house in their street.

The residents of Woolacombe Road, Kidbrooke, looked on in horror at a scene of destruction on Monday morning after a lorry crashed into the front of a house, killing the driver and bringing down the entire front wall and pushing the furniture inside to the other side of the room.

The driver of the lorry, aged 29, was declared dead at the scene and an 11-year-old remains in hospital with what police describe as “life threatening” injuries, while two adults were also taken to hospital with less serious injuries.

A young man who lives in the house that the lorry had hit, but did not want to be named on advice from the police, said he was in the upstairs bathroom when the lorry smashed into the house.

“Thank god no one was in that room and no one in the house was hurt,” he said.

Conor Mcglinchey, a neighbour who lives opposite the house that was hit, said he was getting ready to take his daughter to school when he heard what sounded like a metal pole being dragged along the ground, before a loud smash.

“One of the drivers got out with head injuries and my wife, who is a nurse, tended to him until the paramedics arrived,” said Mr Mcglinchey.

“There was a young boy in one of the cars and he was taken away by a helicopter.

“The lorry driver is the one who died. He must’ve lost consciousness as he hit more cars up the road on the way down to the junction.

“The car with the child in it was pulling up to the junction next to the house when it was hit by the lorry.

“It’s a very busy junction. People use it as a short cut all the time. Parents on the school run. It can be a bit of a nightmare living here.

“We were getting ready to leave. Five minutes later and I would have been reversing out of the drive. It’s been carnage.”

Another neighbour who did not want to be named said she was looking after her baby when she heard the crash.

“I ran to look out of the window and the lorry was physically in the house. It was shocking,” she said.

Emergency services were called to the house just after 8am on Monday following reports of a vehicle collision that involved a building.

Detective constable Neil Webb, who is leading the investigation into the crash, said: “This was a traumatic incident and my thoughts are with those involved and their loved ones.

“We are conducting extensive enquiries into what happened, and I’m keen to hear from witnesses and those with dash-cam or CCTV footage of the incident.

“Please help us piece together what happened.”

London Fire Brigade Station Commander Nathan Hobson, who was at the scene, said: “It was a challenging incident and it appears that a lorry collided with two cars and crashed into a house.

“Specialist Urban Search and Rescue crews attended the scene and efforts were made to free the lorry driver, but sadly he was pronounced dead at the scene.”

“The London Ambulance Service confirmed that they treated a further three patients. One was taken to a major trauma centre, one was taken to hospital, and one was discharged.”

Anyone with information can call 020 8285 1574 or tweet MetCC quoting CAD 1414/14Sept. To stay anonymous, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Pictured top: The lorry which was involved in the accident (Picture: James Twomey)