Mum and girls hurt in ‘corrosive substance’ attack – BBC News

Witnesses have described a “horrific” scene after a mother and her two girls were doused in their car with a “corrosive substance” in south London.

The family, three responding police officers and two others who tried to help were taken to hospital after the attack in Clapham on Wednesday.

One witness told the BBC the mother cried: “I can’t see, I can’t see” as he tried to help. “It was quite horrific,” he added.

Police are searching for the suspect.

The Metropolitan Police said emergency services were called to Lessar Avenue, near Clapham Common, at 19:25 GMT on Wednesday evening after reports of an attack with a suspected “corrosive substance”.

Tests were ongoing to determine the substance involved, the force added.

As the sun rose over Clapham Common, a white car was wrenched onto a van and removed from the street.

Earlier in the night, police forensic teams in protective gear examined the vehicle, which had stopped diagonally across the tree-lined street.

A couple who live on Lessar Avenue said they ran into the street after hearing a cry for help and then the sound of a car crashing.

“We came outside and saw this guy and he took a girl out of the car and he slammed her to the ground twice,” a man, who did not want to give his name, said.

“I chased him half way down the road, but I was in slippers so didn’t get very far.

“As I came back, that’s when I saw the woman who had been attacked … so I ran inside to get some water and just sprayed her down with water.”

He described seeing what looked to be serious burns to her face.

The witness’s partner, who suffered less serious burns to her face, arm and lips after caring for one of the children involved, was taken to hospital but later discharged.

She was one of eight people taken to hospital – five to a major trauma centre, and three to a local hospital.

A ninth person was discharged at the scene, the London Ambulance Service said.

The Met said three officers suffered what are believed to be minor injuries. The extent of the victims’ injuries have not been confirmed by police.

Labour MP for Streatham Bell Ribeiro-Addy told BBC Radio London the incident was “a huge shock to those living around the area”.

“We are asking people to come forward if they have any information,” she said.

As the search for the attacker began, residents said they heard the whir of helicopters through the night.

The nature of the attack has left residents distressed. “How can people do this sort of thing?” one neighbour asked.

London Fire Brigade confirmed two crews from Clapham and Battersea fire stations attended the scene to help provide emergency care to the mother and two children.

“Crews also used specialist equipment to detect a corrosive substance that is believed to have been used in the incident,” it said.

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