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A car burst into flames after crashing into railings outside Buckingham Palace.
Footage shows the black saloon car on fire with thick smoke billowing out from its bonnet.
Police and the fire service rushed to the scene, beside Canada Gate at the western end of The Mall, at around 7.20am on Saturday.
The incident is not thought to be terror related.
The driver of the car, who is in his twenties, was not seriously injured in the crash.
Hotel worker Oliver Aladi, 21, was returning from a night shift when he saw the flames from the burning vehicle.
He said: ‘The ground was pretty wet so maybe it slipped.
‘There were not many cars around at that time in the morning so maybe it lost control and went straight into the barrier.
Emergency service workers could be heard telling cyclists to turn back from the scene (Picture: SWNS)
Firefighters managed to extinguish the flames and the driver escaped without serious injuries (Picture: Oliver Aladi/SWNS)
‘I think it was a Mercedes or BMW.’
He added: ‘The front of the car crashed into the barrier near the bike lane.
‘I don’t know if that’s what caused the fire, by the time I got there it was already up in flames.’
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: ‘At around 7.20am on Saturday, January 21 a car collided with railings by Canada Gate, in The Mall SW1.
‘LFB were requested after the car caught fire. Road closures were put in place.
‘The driver, a man aged in his 20s, suffered no serious injuries.
‘The incident is not being treated as suspicious.’
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A video shows the car with black smoke billowing out its bonnet.
