A tragic accident occurred in the heart of Copenhagen, the Danish capital, this afternoon when an elderly man lost control of his car and struck several people in front of the Lagkagehuset bakery, located near Original Coffee and the Dronning Louise Bro, one of the city's busiest locations. The accident, which happened around 3:32 PM local time, left 11 people injured, three of them critically, according to Copenhagen police officials.
The collision began with roadworks… and ended with a horrific scene.
According to Copenhagen police spokesperson Jesper Frandsen, speaking to local media, the man driving a red car first crashed into roadwork barriers and then a cyclist before driving into a café packed with pedestrians and customers, injuring several people. He added that the driver was taken to the hospital for treatment, but his condition is not critical, and he has not yet been questioned.
Shock pervades the scene: Eyewitnesses recount moments of terror
وبحسب موقع TV2 فقد وصف شهداء عيان اللحظات الأولى للحادث بأنها كانت أشبه بكابوس. فقد علقا بِنته أستروب ويلينغ التي كانت تجلس على كرسيها المتحرك على بُعد أمتار قليلة من مكان الحادث بالقول: “رأيت السيارة تتجه بسرعة جنونية نحو الحشود، ثم شابًا يُقذف في الهواء قبل أن يصطدم بطاولات المقهى”. في البداية، ظنت بِنته أن الأمر هجوم متعمد، إلا أن الشرطة أوضحت لاحقًا أنه حادث سير غير مقصود.
Henrik Pedersen، أحد الزبائن الدائمين في مقهى قريب، قال: “تلقيت رسالة من صديق يسألني إن كنت من بين الضحايا… لم أكن قد وصلت بعد، لكن مجرد التفكير في أنني كنت سأكون هناك أصابني بالرعب”، بحسب موقع TV2.
A large-scale security mobilization and ongoing investigations
A heavy police and ambulance presence was observed at the scene, where security barriers were erected and journalists and passersby were prevented from approaching. Police are still documenting the incident and collecting evidence, amid numerous questions from citizens about when the barriers will be removed.
Police have also called on anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward, while rescue teams and hospitals continue to treat the injured.
Questions without answers
To date, the reasons for the driver losing control of his vehicle are still unknown, and it is unclear whether it was a medical emergency, a mechanical malfunction, or human error. All of these hypotheses are still under investigation. The condition of the three injured individuals, whose injuries were declared serious, is still under close medical observation.
A state of anxiety and confusion prevails in the street.
TV 2 reporters at the scene of the accident reported that the atmosphere was charged with tension and anxiety, as dozens of citizens gathered trying to understand what had happened, while the sounds of ambulance sirens did not subside, amid anticipation of what the investigations would reveal in the coming hours.
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