Updated: Quick acting heroes save life of York taxi driver involved in crash

Members of the public saved the life of a taxi driver after he suffered a heart attack and crashed into a lorry.

The incident happened on Tower Street just after 9am this morning (Tuesday).

The taxi, a Toyota Prius from 659 Taxis, crashed into the back of a parked lorry, owned by CSL Scaffolding of York. Its windscreen was smashed.

It became apparent that the driver had been taken ill, and people rushed to help.

CSL Scaffolding posted on Facebook this afternoon: “All at CSL Scaffolding would like to send our thoughts to the taxi driver who drove into the rear of one of our trucks this morning after sustaining heart problems.

“A special thanks to two members of the public and our guys for grabbing the defibrillator from York Magistrates’ Court and managing to get his heart going with CPR and defib.”

A Yorkshire Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “We received an emergency call at 9.08am this morning to reports of a collision between a taxi and a lorry on Tower Street in York. 

“An ambulance and clinical supervisor were dispatched to the scene and one patient was conveyed to York Hospital.”

According to CSL, the taxi driver “is doing OK” in hospital.

A spokesperson for 659 Taxis said: “We’re saddened to hear about the accident involving one of our drivers and we would like to wish all the people involved a speedy recovery.”

Police closed off Clifford Street and Tower Street from the junction with Coppergate through to the inner ring road for nearly three hours. Buses were diverted.

The road has been cleared and has now reopened