One-year-old boy hit by lamppost fights for life in Chiswick

The youngster, thought to be about one year old, was taken by air ambulance to the Royal London Hospital after the incident outside Chiswick town hall, just after 10.30am today.

Passersby said the lamppost fell on to a push chair, crushing the tot inside. The carer who had been pushing the pram escaped injury.

The baby boy suffered "life-threatening" injuries and is still in a critical but stable condition, police said tonight.

A 62-year-old woman was taken to Charing Cross Hospital with back injuries.

Passersby initially said she was the baby's nanny but police said tonight the pair were not related and she was not the boy's carer.

One mum was at the scene in Sutton Court Road just moments after the lamppost fell, along with her child.

The woman, who asked not to be named, said: "I arrived 30 seconds after it had fallen down. The lamppost fell on top of the baby. The little boy was being pushed by his childminder.

"It was horrific.

"It's an area where they are re-doing the pavement.

"I'm really worried and annoyed that the lamppost has come down. Someone's done something wrong somewhere.

"Children are coming in and out of the town hall all the time, there are music classes and ballet classes held there."

One witness, posting on a community forum, wrote that both the injured were unconcious when they were taken to hospital.

Chris Blackwell said his wife Nicola saw the aftermath of the incident and told him the pram had "broken in two".

Mr Blackwell, who lives nearby, said his shocked wife had called him to tell him what had happened moments after he saw an air ambulance arrive at the scene.

He said work on the roadside had been going on since last November.

He added: "I just don't know how a lamppost can fall down. It's horrible."

Earlier this afternoon Hounslow Council leader Peter Thompson, who is also a Turnham Green councillor, visited the scene.

Paramedics and an air ambulance were called to Sutton Court Road, at its junction with Heathfield Terrace, to treat the injured. The air ambulance landed on nearby Turnham Green.

A London Ambulance spokesman said: “Two patients were treated at the scene, one baby, approximately a year old, was taken to the Royal College Hospital by air ambulance.

“The second patient, a 62-year-old woman was taken to Charing Cross Hospital with back injuries.”

Police closed the two roads.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said the Health and Safety Executive had been informed.

He said: ”Police were called at 10.36am to reports of two pedestrians injured by a fallen lamppost in Sutton Court Road at the junction with Heathfield Terrace.

“The one-year-old was taken by helicopter to hospital with life-threatening injuries.

“Road closures are currently in place.”

A Hounslow Council spokeswoman said the authority had been carrying out improvement works, which included changing several bus routes and providing improved pedestrian crossings, at the site.

She said no contractors were on site at the time of the incident.

She said: "This is an awful tragedy and our heartfelt sympathies go out to the injured and all their families.

"The council is cooperating fully with the police and Health and Safety Executive investigations."

• Did you see what happened? Or do you know the baby boy or nanny? Let us know by email (gholt@london.newsquest.co.uk), phone the newsdesk on 020 8744 4271 or leave a comment below.