Man dies after being crushed by telescopic urinal as he worked in central London

27 January 2023 , 16:53

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A man has died after being trapped underneath a hydraulic urinal (Image: @KetoCancerQueen/Twitter)

A man who became trapped underneath a urinal in central London this afternoon has died.

The workman had been operating on a "telescopic urinal" at Cambridge Circus, outside the Palace Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue just after 1pm on Friday when he suffered "crush injuries", police said.

He was pronounced dead at the scene. His next of kin have been informed.

Telescopic urinals, which are designed to stop public urination, are stored beneath the pavement during the day before being lifted up to street level for people visiting at night.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene following the incident at Cambridge Circus in Central London (Getty Images)

Efforts to rescue the man from the structure this afternoon are thought to have continued for almost two hours.

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Dramatic scenes during the emergency response saw an air ambulance land in the centre of Trafalgar Square, while four fire engines and 25 firefighters were also dispatched to the scene.

Roads going through Cambridge Circus and the surrounding area have been closed.

Roads going through Cambridge Circus and the surrounding area have been closed (PA)

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement on Twitter: "We're sorry to have to update that, 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 have been informed. Cordons remain in place at the location."

A fire brigade spokesperson confirmed that four fire engines and about 25 firefighters from Soho, Euston and Dowgate fire stations had been sent to the scene for the rescue operation.

His next of kin have been informed (PA)

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said earlier: “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 incident is still ongoing.”

Benedict Tetzlaff-Deas