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Man dies after speeding car crashes into basement in Kensington

The car was involved in a police chase (MyVoice82/Twitter)
The car was pursued by police (MyVoice82/Twitter)

A man has died and another is fighting for his life after a car sped away from police and crashed into the basement of a home in Kensington, London.

The crash happened at around 3.10am on Saturday after officers tried to flag the vehicle down along Talgarth Road, the Metropolitan Police said.

They lost sight of the car, but officers then saw it had crashed into a building in West Cromwell Road, where it was wedged between the house and steps leading to the basement.

Twitter user Jack posted: “Must [have] just witnessed the worst crash I’ve ever seen on Cromwell Road and Warwick Road.”

Two men freed themselves from the vehicle and firefighters cut two others from the wreckage.

All four men, believed to be in their twenties, were taken to hospital, where one of the men later died and a second remains in a critical condition.

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The two other men, who were not seriously injured, have been arrested in connection with the crash.

The next of kin of the man who died have been informed and a post-mortem examination and formal identification are yet to take place.

The car plowed into the basement of the home (MyVoice82/Twitter)
The car ploughed into the basement of the home (MyVoice82/Twitter)
Police cordoned off the road (MyVoice82/Twitter)
Police cordoned off the road (MyVoice82/Twitter)

A Met spokesman said: “As is routine in such cases, the Directorate of Professional Standards and the Independent Police Complaints Commission have been informed.

“At this early stage it is understood that the car was seen by officers being driven at speed on Talgarth Road shortly before the collision.

“The police car followed the vehicle and signalled for it to stop, but it sped away out of sight of the officers. When next seen by the officers, it had been involved in the collision in West Cromwell Road. Enquires continue to establish the full circumstances.”