Six dead in Glasgow crash

Sky are being utterly disgusting, asking people who barely missed being mowed down to talk about how they feel.

Oh, dear heaven.  I have friends in Glasgow, just emailed to see if they are okay.   LL

Please let us know LL?

The poor people and their families. It is bad enough any time but things become even more sad at Christmas, for some reason.

https://twitter.com/hashtag/georgesquare?f=realtime&src=hash

Nicola Sturgeon @NicolaSturgeon · 9m 9 minutes ago
My thoughts with everyone involved in dreadful #GeorgeSquare incident. If you are in city centre, please let your relatives know you are ok.

Nicola Sturgeon retweeted
Police Scotland @policescotland · 12m 12 minutes ago
If you have any concerns relating to the #GeorgeSquare incident please dial Police Scotland's major incident hotline on 01786 289 070.

Nicola Sturgeon retweeted
ScotsPolFed @Scotspolfed · 35m 35 minutes ago
If shopping in #glasgow right now please let your family know you are ok & help take the strain of our telephone lines #georgesquare

Absolutely horrible thing to happen, and I hope your folk are OK, LL - apart from the shops, there's a big fair at the Square just now.

I have actually had to put off Sky before I put something through the screen, disgusting ghouls. BBC coverage is a bit more sensitive, for once.

Thanks, bonny and lily, she is one of my dearest friends from way back.   Will let you know when I hear from her.    LL

The witness speaking to the BBC just now is in a terrible state, but the interviewer is being more tactful than those clowns on Sky.

The driver seems to have been taken ill at the wheel, and the lorry gained speed and just ploughed along the pavement till it hit the hotel wall. I don't want to think about what happened; those lorries are enormous, but they usually trundle along at only a few miles an hour.

Oh dear Lord. What a tragedy. What chance could you have against a trash lorry?

They are SO big, Lily, just like the US ones. And heavy, with all the crushing gear inside them. As I say, they usually just bumble around town at 5mph or so, I don't want to think about what one moving at speed, out of control, in a city centre, could do, it's unheard of.

Bonny, I know. Don't know what to say except what a tragedy for all of them.

The police have explained that they have asked the council to leave the Christmas lights ON in the area, because it is giving them extra light for their investigation, it's not because people are being disrespectful.

It's so deeply sad.

Oh dear God.......

http://news.stv.tv/west-central/304506-bodies-and-bin-lorry-removed-from-scene-of-george-square-crash/

One male and five females were killed in the George Square bin lorry crash which left six others in hospital, police have revealed.

Bodies of the victims and vehicles were removed from the scene of the crash in Glasgow on Monday afternoon.

Six people have been confirmed dead after the lorry careered into a group of pedestrians and cars in Glasgow's George Square around 2.30pm.

The age of the males and females have not yet been revealed and police have not confirmed how many adults and children were involved.

Ten other people, including the driver of the lorry, were being treated for injuries at three hospitals throughout Monday night and Tuesday across the city.

Police have said six of the casualties remain in hospital, with two fighting for their lives in intensive care.

The Glasgow City Council bin lorry collided with several vehicles and hit a number of pedestrians between the Gallery of Modern Art and the station.

The crash happened while hundreds of Christmas shoppers gathered in the city and hundreds of families were at the George Square Christmas carnival at the time.

A spokeswoman for the council confirmed to STV News on Tuesday that two other people were in the lorry at the time of the crash.

There were unconfirmed reports that small children were among those struck by the lorry.

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: "Following our previous releases regarding a major road incident at George Square, Glasgow, when a Glasgow City Council bin lorry collided with pedestrians on Queen Street and crashed at the Millennium Hotel at George Square, please find below the following update.

"As a result of the collision, six people died and ten people were injured including the driver. Seven casualties were taken to hospital by the ambulance service, two walked in to hospital and one was treated at the scene.

"Four have since been discharged. There are currently six people in hospital being treated for their injuries. Two have been moved to the Intensive Therapy Unit for further monitoring.

The deceased includes one male and five females. A formal identification process will be carried out later this morning. A further update will be provided following this."

A convoy of private ambulances left the scene of the crash from behind metal walls, which were erected around George Square, as they removed bodies on Tuesday morning.

There was a guard of honour as police lined the streets as the private ambulances and cars were removed. The bin lorry was also taken away from the scene. A black BMW, Volvo and 4x4 were all removed.

More at link.

http://news.sky.com/story/1396765/lorry-crash-three-victims-from-one-family

Three of the six victims killed when a bin lorry careered out of control through Glasgow were an elderly couple and their granddaughter.

Jack Sweeney, his wife Lorraine, and Erin McQuade, understood to be in her teens, died on Monday after the council vehicle drove through a street full of Christmas shoppers.

Mr Sweeney, from Dumbarton, was a former president of Bramalea Celtic supporters club in Canada.

A statement posted on the Bramalea CeItic supporters club Facebook page said: "It is with great shock and sadness we share with you our friend and past president Jack Sweeney, his wife Lorraine and granddaughter Erin were victims of today's tragedy in Glasgow.

"Our thoughts and prayers go to the family and friends of the Sweeney family."

Three other females were also killed and 10 people were injured, six of whom remain in hospitals around the city.


Heartbreaking.

Truly heartbreaking. Thoughts are with them all.

http://news.sky.com/story/1396765/lorry-crash-three-victims-from-one-family

The three other victims have been identified as Gillian Ewing, 52, from Edinburgh; Stephenie Tait, 29, from Glasgow and Jacqueline Morton, 51, from Glasgow.

The only tiny crumb of comfort is that it appears none of the dead are young children; horrible rumours were circulating yesterday that the truck hit a pushchair.

Ten people were also injured in the crash, six of whom remain in hospitals around the city including the driver of the lorry.

A statement from Police Scotland said four of those injured are in Glasgow Royal Infirmary. One is expected to be discharged later on Tuesday, one is in a critical condition two patients are stable.

One of those injured is in a stable condition at the Western Infirmary. The final person is expected to be discharged from Southern General Hospital on Tuesday.


Last night on the local news, authorities were urging witnesses to get medical help if required; I think an awful lot of people who were at the scene held it together and did their best to help at the time, but when they got safely home, the horror of it hit them badly.

Some may need help for PTSD or similar?

I would be surprised if they didn't, Lily, even if it's just time with their parish minister or priest.

Incidentally, I glad that Sky has been widely criticised for pestering people in very obvious shock to share the gory details with the nation; I had to put it off, it was so appalling.

Although my friend hasn't come back to me, as the names of those killed have now been published I am very happy to say that she is not one of them.   She's bad at replying to emails and as I don't hear at all well on the phone, it's the only way we can communicate.   LL

That's something good to hear, LL.

Good, LL, it's always a worry when these things happen.

Some very poignant photos:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2884826/Three-members-family-feared-five-women-man-killed-bin-lorry-crashes-Glasgow-emerges-two-workers-cab.html?ito=social-twitter_dailymailUK