Three people have been killed and one left fighting for life in a horror car crash outside a busy shopping centre in north London.
The Met Police believes the incident near Staples Corner Retail Park in Brent Cross on Sunday night involved one vehicle carrying five young men. London Fire Brigade said the car hit a pedestrian bridge.
Police and firefighters attended the scene on the North Circular Road shortly before 11.30pm along with London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance.
However, three people could not be saved and were pronounced dead at the scene.
Two others were taken to hospital, with one said to be in a critical condition while the other is being treated for injuries that are not thought to be life-threatening.
The Met Police has said the five people involved were all believed to be men in their 20s.
Inspector William Mcdonald, one of the officers responsible for policing in Barnet, said: “Emergency services responded last night to what seems to have been a terrible accident.
“An urgent police investigation is under way to establish the full circumstances, led by detectives from the Met’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit.
“Officers are in the process of informing the families of the five young people. The families will be supported by specialist officers. I send them my sincere condolences.”
Roads in the area remain closed as the investigation takes place. Police say there have been no arrests made.
London Fire Brigade’s Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne said: “This was a tragic incident attended by our specialist crews who attended alongside our blue light partners to make the scene safe.”
The crash happened at the North Circular’s junction with the M1 outside Staples Corner Retail Park, which is a popular shopping destination with stores including Currys, Argos and Dunelm. It was also close to Brent Cross Shopping Centre.
Nearby business owners have spoken of their shock following the news of the deaths.
Tommy Bicak, owner of Work Man’s Cafe, told The Independent that he was aware of numerous casualties on the North Circular with pedestrian railings installed at a nearby junction to the crash after a customer’s father died 30 years ago.
He said: “It took me a long time to get to work today and I did wonder. Then I put two and two together and realised something serious must have happened. I’m very sorry to hear of the deaths and my thoughts are with the families.
“It’s a busy road and I’m not sure what further safety improvement can be made.”
Sunday’s crash follows several road deaths in London this year.
On 9 January, a 28-year-old woman died after she was hit by a car while walking her dogs in Enfield, and on 29 January, a person died after being struck by a bus outside Victoria station in central London.
