A WOMAN in her 20s has died after a van flew “through the air” and crashed into her in central London.
Another pedestrian was left fighting for their life following the horror smash near Somerset House in the capital shortly before midday.
Three pedestrians suffered injuries with the woman sadly pronounced dead at the scene outside King’s College, said police.
A 26-year-old man has since been arrested on suspicion of causing death by drug driving and careless driving.
Josh, of Cadogan Tate, who was working metres from the incident, told The Sun that the van was briefly airborne before striking the woman, who appeared to be in her 20s.
The young victim was sitting with pals on a bench before tragedy struck.
He said: “The iron gate collapsed as the van was coming out of the service yard.
“It was still going at speed and it ended up clipping a planter before going through the air.
“It hit the girl as she was sitting on the bench with one of her mates.
“You could hear screams and people were running towards her to help. Another guy was injured by the actual gate coming down.”
The horror crash in the popular area took place in broad daylight as shocked students, tourists and nearby workers watched on.
Two other people were rushed to hospital, one with potentially life-threatening injuries, and the other with minor injuries.
The arrested man remains in custody, confirmed the force.
But the incident is not believed to be terror related, according to the Metropolitan Police.
Pictures from the area show a police cordon taping off the scene with multiple police and emergency vehicles in attendance.
King’s College campus was put on lockdown with no access to students.
The Met Police said in a statement: “Police are on scene and dealing with a collision close to The Strand, WC2.
“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 causing death by careless driving and driving with concentration of specified controlled drug above 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.”
Images from the scene have also shown cops put up a blue tent as the investigation continues.
The London Fire Brigade and London Ambulance Service are also in attendance.
A witness who gave his name as 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.
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.
One witness at the scene told LBC they heard “a few girls may have been hit”.
They said: “I’m waiting for my friends to come out, they sound pretty shaken but I don’t know what they saw.”
Another student told the outlet: “No one knew what was going on. There was lots of police tape and shouting and everyone sort of just stood there.
“We saw people lying down with people with ambulances around them.”
Ali, a PhD student at King’s College London, who did not wish to share his surname, was leaving class when he saw emergency services gathered near the scene.
The 28-year-old said he initially thought emergency services were there for a protest outside the university, until he saw ambulance workers carrying stretchers.
“I was just walking out of class… at first I was disoriented, I thought it was a protest because it usually happens, but it’s something else entirely,” he said.
“(Now knowing a woman has died) is so sad and hard to process – my thoughts go out to her family and friends.
“We walk by that crossing all the time and it’s pedestrianised, barely any vehicles pass.”
The Strand is currently closed from Surrey Street westbound to Waterloo Bridge.
Bus routes have been affected with diversions put in place around the Aldwych area.
However, it is understood eastbound traffic can still use the road.
A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called today (Tuesday 18 March) at 11.39am to reports of an incident in The Strand, WC2.
“We sent resources to the scene including ambulance crews, advanced paramedics, an incident response officer, a clinical team manager and London’s air ambulance.
“We treated four people at the scene. Sadly, despite our best efforts one person died.
“We took two people to hospital and a fourth person was discharged.”
