Workman crushed to death by ‘telescopic urinal’ in horrific accident in central London yards from Harry Potter theatre

27 January 2023, 14:19 | Updated: 27 January 2023, 17:20

A worker has died after being crushed in a "telescopic urinal" in central London.

Police raced to the scene at the junction of Shaftesbury Avenue and Charing Cross road outside the Palace Theatre, after reports of a man being crushed.

Police said they were called at 1.10pm today to reports of a seriously injured man at the scene. They later issued an update saying tragically the man had died. His next of kin have been informed.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "Despite the efforts of emergency services, the man who was critically injured in Cambridge Circus was pronounced dead at the scene. His next of kin has been informed."

The victim sustained crush injuries while working on the ‘telescopic urinal’ at the location, the Met police said.

The London Fire Brigade said he was trapped below street level "underneath" the urinal. He was treated by paramedics but died despite their efforts.

The London Fire Brigade, London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance were in attendance.

Roads were closed in the area.

Scotland Yard said in an earlier statement: "Police were called at around 13:10hrs on Friday, 27 January, to a seriously injured man at Cambridge Circus, W1.

"The man is thought to have sustained crush injuries while working on a ‘telescopic urinal’ at the location.

"LFB, LAS and London’s Air Ambulance are in attendance. Officers are assisting with road closures."

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called today (27 January) at 1:05pm to reports of an incident on Shaftesbury Avenue, Charing Cross.

“We sent a number of resources to the scene, including an ambulance crew, members of our hazardous area response team (HART), members of our tactical response unit and a medic in a fast response car. We also dispatched London’s Air Ambulance.

The London Fire Brigade said they sent four fire engines and 25 firefighters after being called to reports of a 'man trapped'.

A crane was later brought to the scene as rescuers began efforts to lift the entire structure out of the ground.

The worker is understood to have been performing maintenance on a pop-up urinal which rises from the ground at night so that revellers can relieve themselves without the need to urinate in the street.