Revealed: Strand van crash sufferer was King’s College London pupil, 21, as heartbroken household go to the scene and police query ‘drug-driver’, 26
The woman run down and killed by an out of control van on The Strand in central London was a 21-year-old student from a nearby university.
The student, named by friends as Aliyah was sitting on a bench outside King’s College London where she studied when she was fatally injured.
The van is believed to have hit the metal border of a flower bed before flying into the air and hitting Aliyah and her two friends.
Last night members of her family are believed to have been taken to see the spot where she died – leading to an outpouring of grief.
Today floral tributes have been laid at the scene.
Bunches of tulips, roses and bouquets of flowers have been placed by the gates of St Mary le Strand church where the van came to a halt.
Today Westminster Council workers removed a rubbish bin that had been crushed in the smash.
The seat of the bench where Aliyah was sitting with friends was slightly damaged.
Floral tributes have been laid at the scene on The Strand in central London
Bunches of tulips, roses and bouquets of flowers have been placed by the gates of St Mary le Strand church where the van came to a halt
Today Westminster Council workers removed a rubbish bin that had been crushed in the smash
The van is believed to have hit the metal border of a flower bed before flying into the air and hitting Aliyah and two friends
The Met said one of those injured is in a ‘life-threatening’ condition, while the other has only minor injuries. A fourth person was treated at the scene and discharged.
In a statement, the force said a 26-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of drug driving and careless driving.
Police said the incident, which happened at around 11:50am yesterday was close to the entrance to King’s College London – where Aliyah studied.
Photographs taken at the scene showed paramedics and at least one person on the floor.
The London Fire Brigade was also in attendance, and said two fire engines and ten firefighters were at the scene.
Passerby Josh said he heard a ‘bang’ and ‘screams’ at the time of the accident.
He said the van involved had driven out of a nearby service yard and through a gate before a group of people rushed over to help the victims.
Bouquets of flowers have been placed by the gates of St Mary le Strand church where the van came to a halt
The van is pictured behind a police cordon near a blue forensic tent and police officers
A screen is erected by emergency services at the scene in central London
A woman is comforted near the scene of the crash, which occurred just before 12pm on Tuesday
Shocked witnesses were seen sitting on the ground as they were supported by police officers
Emergency responders are pictured at the scene after police set up a wide cordon
He added: ‘We all went over there and then obviously one of my mates, he went in there, grabbed some first aiders and came out, we tried to get people away and all that.’
A dark blue van with a smashed headlight and a dent on the front right corner remained by the police cordon on Tuesday afternoon.
In a statement, the Met Police said: ‘Officers were called at 11:41hrs on Tuesday, 18 March following a collision involving a van and pedestrians.
‘Three pedestrians suffered injuries, with a woman in her twenties sadly pronounced dead at the scene. Two pedestrians have been taken to hospital, one has potentially life-threatening injuries, and the other has minor injuries.
‘The driver of the van, a 26-year-old man, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing death by careless driving and driving with a concentration of a specified controlled drug above a specified limit.
‘He remains in custody. Enquiries are ongoing and a crime scene is in place.
‘This collision is not being treated as terrorism-related.’
