More details revealed about South Norwood crash involving police car
Portland Road had to be temporarily closed while the incident was dealt with
Craig Simpson
Officers were on their way to a rubbish fire when their police car was involved in a crash in South Norwood today (Monday, January 8).
One person was treated for facial injuries at the scene of the collision.
There were reports of a pile of rubbish burning at a home on Portland Road and emergency services rushed to the blaze at around 11.50am.
London Fire Brigade were dispatched to tackle the flames with police also being called to the scene.
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While driving there the police car crashed into a van on Portland Road. The car was badly damaged and had to be taken from the scene by a recovery truck.
The van was also damaged and a man in his 30s was treated by London Ambulance Service paramedics at the scene.
The collision resulted in Portland Road being closed for more than an hour.
Another car was reportedly badly scraped in the collision.
The badly damaged police car
The Directorate of Professional Standards, which is responsible for reviewing Met Police practices and standards, has been informed of crash.
A spokesman for the Met Police said: "Police were called at approximately 11.50am on Monday, January 8 to reports of a fire at a residential property in Portland Road.
The police car is lifted onto the back of a recovery truck
"There were no reports of any injuries [from the fire].
"Enquiries into the circumstances [of the fire] are ongoing.
"Two officers who were responding to the incident in a marked vehicle were involved in a road traffic collision with a vehicle in Portland Road, near the junction with Watcombe Road.
The van that was damaged in the collision
"A man aged in his 30s was treated by LAS for a facial injury. His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening or life-changing.
"The Met's Directorate of Professional Standards has been informed as a matter of course."
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Firefighters extinguished the fire which sparked the call within 10 minutes.
A spokesman for the London Fire Brigade said: "We were called to Portland Road at around 11.54am, it was out by 12.01pm
"It was up against the wall of a building."
South Norwood