TWO people have been rushed to major trauma centres and three more were treated by paramedics after a stand reportedly collapsed during a review of Trooping the Colour.
Crowds were evacuated and screams rang out amid chaos at the ceremony, which involves a parade by the Household Division and Horse Guards.
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The full event will take place on June 2 for the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations. Today’s ceremony was the Major General’s review ahead of the big day.
However, dozens of people had turned up to watch the rehearsal at Horse Guards Parade.
A London Ambulance Service spokesman said this afternoon: “We worked alongside St John Ambulance volunteers to treat five people at the scene.
“We took one patient to a major trauma centre as a priority.
“St John Ambulance took a second patient to a major trauma centre as a priority. We discharged three patients at the scene.”
Reports from the scene suggest proceedings were interrupted when a part of the stand collapsed, the Mirror says.
One witness described the situation as “chaos.”
She added: “We were told to stand and heard a scream and then there was chaos in the section.
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“Turned out part of it had collapsed and a woman had fallen through.
“The paramedics rushed in but started yelling, ‘We can’t find her’.
“She was extracted after several minutes and seemed fine but badly shaken and was put on a stretcher and loaded into an ambulance.
“The crowd was calm but was later moved out of that section.
“Then a second section had a similar collapse and the crowd was moved but with no one falling through.
“The striking thing was that there seemed to be complete confusion with police about what to do and where to find the victim under the bleachers.
“But the medics did the best they could with no guidance.”
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Another visitor said: “What we just witnessed was terrifying, but we are safe.
“Part of the floor in the stand collapsed, and at least one person fell through.
“We are praying for the injured and shocked.
“The stands are being evacuated.”
And a third added: “At Trooping the Colour, part of stand where spectators sat, has partially collapsed.
“No news of injuries.”
Up to 1,450 soldiers of the Household Division and The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, along with up to 400 musicians from the Massed Bands, took part in the parade for the first of two formal reviews.
The soldiers were inspected by Major General Christopher Ghika CBE of the Household Division.
Next weekend Prince William will attend the event.
An Army spokesman said: “We are supporting the emergency services following an incident on the Horse Guards parade square.
“It would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”
