Liverpool’s vibrant Premier League title celebration turned tragic on Saturday evening when a car collided with pedestrians on Water Street in the city center. The unexpected nature of the incident, which happened at about 6 PM local time, has left the closeknit community in shock and mourning.
City Council leader Liam Robinson described the event as “appalling,” stating that it has “cast a very dark shadow over what had been a joyous day.” According to eyewitness accounts, it was a very busy, chaotic scene when the car plowed into a crowd of thousands enjoying Mardi Gras festivities, causing serious injury to many.
Emergency services responded swiftly, with Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service receiving a call at 18:07 hours. Nick Searle, local service representatives for the FBU said, “we mobilised three fire engines to Camden. These engines made it to the scene in an average of only four minutes.
Crews were confronted with over a dozen severely injured individuals and four people pinned under a car, Searle explained. “Our crews rapidly lifted the vehicle, removed three adults and one child from beneath, and passed them to our ambulance service colleagues.”
In the aftermath of the crash, 27 people were transported to area hospitals. Of the injured, two people, including a juvenile, suffered life-threatening injuries, and another 20 were treated for minor injuries.
As noted by Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Simms, law enforcement is not currently treating this as a terror incident. Police have arrested a 53-year-old, white, British man on suspicion of murder. He is reported to be the operator of the truck that killed her.
The mood among jubilation participants sparkling with excitement, color and creativity. Hundreds of thousands participated in the streets to celebrate Liverpool Football Club’s miracle victory parade. The joy of initial spectators turned to horror as the dramatic collision transpired. Witness Les Winsper told authorities about the terrifying moments before the crash.
Next thing … people began pounding on the [police car] windows,” Winsper recounted. Then they broke the windows and he got scared and floor-boarded it. He punched another fighter in the face so hard that landed 10 feet away. Then, just like that, he drove straight through the rest of the crowd. I’ve never seen anything like it.
Yet another witness, Harry Rashid told how quickly the vehicle came out from behind where an ambulance had been parked, before running over pedestrians. “The vehicle came to our right. It had come out from directly beside an ambulance, which was parked up. It was the grey people carrier that surprised with its sudden high speed approach from the right. It barrelled into everybody kneeling next to us,” he stated.
Secretary of State for Health Wes Streeting described the incident as a “appalling episode.” Home Secretary Yvette Cooper called the response “shocking and horrendous.” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that he himself was being briefed in real time as events unfolded.
Liam Robinson, Philadelphia city councilman, issued a statement mourning the victims of this tragedy. “My thoughts are with all those injured in tonight’s horrific incident, their family and friends and all of those affected by the terrible tragedy that has taken place today,” he said.
Robinson gave credit to the first responders on duty, as well as citizens who rushed victims of the shooting to trauma care. “I want to thank all of the emergency services partner agencies and members of the public who came to the assistance of the injured following this evening’s shocking incidents,” he added.
As night fell, North-West Ambulance Service cleared the scene around 9:30 PM local time, but not before leaving behind a community grappling with shock and sorrow.