Edinburgh taxi hits pedestrian on Queen Street pavement after driver suffers possible 'medical incident'https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/ ... -1-4987575A taxi has struck a pedestrian on the pavement in Queen Street this afternoon after the driver suffered a possible 'medical incident' at the wheel.Police and paramedics were called to the scene at Murray & Currie Property Sales & Lettings at the corner of North Castle Street, along with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), shortly after 1pm.
A police spokesman confirmed that a male pedestrian in his 50s has been taken to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary with serious injuries.
The spokesman said: "One line of inquiry is that the driver of the taxi may have suffered a medical incident but it's still to be ascertained by paramedics who are looking at him."
North Castle Street is expected to be closed for several hours.
A nearby cafe owner told the Evening News they saw an older male taxi driver who came driving along Queen Street who appeared to lose control, adding: "He was injured and bleeding from the head.
"His two female passengers got out and were screaming at him."
A staff member at neighbouring hairdressers Bleach Please said: "There was a guy lying on the floor unconscious after the taxi came off the road.
"A woman was with him before the ambulance came. It looked bad."
Image: Edinburgh Evening NewsPictures sent to the Evening News show the front end of a black cab taxi which appears to have come to rest against the building - and the area has been cordoned off.
Debris could be seen strewn across the pavement on North Castle Street, including what appeared to be a rear door of the taxi.
One eye-witness said they saw three ambulances, more than one police car and two fire engines in attendance.
A SFRS spokeswoman confirmed that two fire appliances were called to the scene because of a collision just after 1:15pm.
In a further statement released this afternoon, police said; "Police in Edinburgh were called to North Castle Street, at the junction with Queen Street, around 1pm on Tuesday 20 August following a report of a collision involving a taxi and a pedestrian.
"The 59-year-old male pedestrian was taken to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary with serious injuries.
"The 61-year-old male taxi driver and a female passenger have also been taken to hospital.
"Officers remain in attendance and North Castle Street is closed from George Street to Queen Street as inquiries continue to be conducted at the scene."
Police could not rule out that the man's injuries were life threatening.
Image: Edinburgh Evening NewsA Scottish Ambulance Service spokesman said: “We received a call at 12:58am today to attend an incident on North Castle Street Edinburgh.
"We dispatched three ambulances and our trauma team to the scene. We transported one patient to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary."
The spokesman later confirmed they took a further two patients to the hospital but only as a precaution.
Police also thanked motorists for their co-operation and have appealed for anyone who witnesses the incident, who have not yet spoken to officers, to contact police on 101 and quote incident 1569 of 20 August.
A worker at Murray & Currie declined to comment on the incident.
The council-run Edinburgh Travel News also tweeted that North Castle Street was closed due to an 'ongoing serious incident' and that traffic is queuing from Hanover Street.
They tweeted earlier that Queen Street was partially blocked westbound as a result.
Image: Edinburgh Evening News
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