Wimbledon school crash: Child dies after car collision

Police said on Thursday that a child died and several others were injured after a car crashed into a school building in the British capital London.

"We can now confirm that sadly a child has died following an incident where a car collided with a building at a school in Wimbledon," police said. 

The collision took place at a school in Camp Road, about a mile from the venue where the Wimbledon Grand Slam championship is currently taking place. 

Police said earlier that nine people, including seven children, were being treated on the scene. 

What we know about the Wimbledon school crash

Police said they were called at around 9:45 a.m. local time (0845 UTC). 

The London Fire Brigade and the London Ambulance, including the air ambulance, were also at the scene. 

Police said that after the crash "the driver of the vehicle stopped at the scene," adding that no arrests have been made. 

"We are not treating this incident as terror-related," London's Metropolitan Police said in a statement. "An investigation is under way to understand the full circumstances of what has taken place."

According to aerial footage of the scene, a Land Rover car was stopped at an angle against the wall of the modern school building.

Reactions to the crash

British media reported that the incident took place at a school for girls aged four to 11. The website of the Study Prep school said Thursday was the last day of term for children aged four to eight. 

Health Minister Steve Barclay wrote on Twitter that he was staying informed about the "distressing incident."  

"My thoughts are with those sadly injured and everyone who has been affected," he added.

fb/wd (Reuters, dpa)