Crash killed five females and male

23 December 2014 Last updated at 11:54

The six people who were killed by an out-of-control bin lorry in Glasgow city centre included five females and one male, police have confirmed.

The bodies have been removed from the scene and formal identification will take place. The council bin lorry has also been removed.

Police said 10 others, including the driver, were injured.

The bin lorry crashed in George Square after careering up Queen Street at about 14:30 on Monday.

Of the 10 casualties, four have since been discharged, while six others remain in hospital. Two casualties are in an Intensive Therapy Unit.

Bodies removed

The bodies of the victims were removed from the scene overnight in a fleet of private ambulances.

An investigation is continuing to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the crash. Police said they hoped to re-open George Square later on Tuesday.

Glasgow City Council leader Gordon Matheson said the plan was to have the square, which hosts the city's Christmas Festival, fully operational on Wednesday.

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Police Scotland said there appeared to be nothing "sinister" about the crash

It is known that the lorry struck a pedestrian outside the Gallery of Modern Art (Goma), then mounted the pavement and travelled hundreds of metres, hitting several others.

The lorry, operated by the city council, flattened street signs as it travelled along Queen Street and the side of George Square.

It finally crashed into the Millennium Hotel, beside the entrance to Queen Street station in George Square.

Eyewitnesses said the lorry driver had been "slumped over his wheel".

Glasgow City Council confirmed that three employees were in the lorry before the crash.

George Ieronymdis, owner of the Elia Greek Restaurant on George Square, said he had been told that some of the bin lorry's crew were seen jumping from the vehicle and holding their heads in their hands, looking devastated.

Dozens of floral tributes have been placed near the scene and prayers are being held by the Church of Scotland.

Minister Alastair Duncan is leading the prayers at nearby St George's Tron Church.

'Simply devastating'

Church of Scotland Moderator John Chalmers said: "The news from the city centre of Glasgow just a few days before Christmas is simply devastating.

"For the second year in a row, Glaswegians will have to dig deep into their reserves of compassion and sympathy as they support the families of those who have been killed and injured today."

Roman Catholic Archbishop Philip Tartaglia will say mass for the victims at St Andrew's Cathedral in Glasgow on Wednesday.

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Nicola Sturgeon: "This city will pull together to support those that have been affected".

Police Scotland said there appeared to be nothing "sinister" about the crash and are still carrying out investigations at the scene.

The first minister told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme: "The emergency services have been on the scene all night.

"The bodies of those who sadly lost their lives have now been taken away from the scene. There will be a process of formal identification still to go through today.

"Clearly it is the priority of all those involved to find out what caused this incident and give the families of those involved the answers they are seeking."

Glasgow spirit

Ms Sturgeon added: "I think all of us [watching] on our televisions were again struck by just how readily people run into a scene of potential danger to help those who have been injured, those who have been affected. There was a sense in the city last night of everybody rallying round.

"There is something quite incredible about the spirit in this city. Everybody knows it is a city with a big, big heart.

"This morning it is a city with a broken heart but it will get through this as it got through the Clutha tragedy."

Ms Sturgeon said flags would fly at half-mast on government buildings on Tuesday out of respect.

She called the crash "absolutely heartbreaking", while city council leader Gordon Matheson described it as a "terrible tragedy".

"Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected," he said.

Police Scotland have asked for anyone with photographs, videos or any type of mobile footage of the incident to contact them, using a dedicated email address.

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The bin lorry crashed outside Queen Street Station in George Square

Anjan Luthra, who works nearby and was one of the first people on the scene, said he saw "three or four bodies" and other people running away from the lorry.

"I've never seen anything like that in my life, it was like a war scene. It literally was," he said.

A spokesman for the Institute of Traffic Accident Investigators said that vehicles, even large ones, can carry on for a considerable distance if there is an "unintended acceleration", which could be caused by a driver falling ill.

"Without speculating on this incident, there might be a number of causes for a vehicle to travel a considerable distance," he said.

Are you in Glasgow? Do you have any information to share? If you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist please email your comment and contact number to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

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