Up to 10 pedestrians have been struck by a van that witnesses said mounted the curb in Toronto, say police.

The vehicle fled the scene after the incident at a busy intersection in the north of the Canadian city, police say.

The van was located several blocks away, and the driver was taken into custody, according to local media.

It is unclear exactly how many people have been hurt or the extent of their injuries. Police have asked the public to avoid the area.

Nearby subway services have been halted.

The incident happened at Yonge Street and Finch Avenue at 13:30 local time (17:30 GMT) on Monday.

Pictures apparently taken at the scene show police armed with rifles and paramedics treating injured people.

One orange bag, which appears to contain a body, is seen being loaded on to an ambulance.

“Reports were that a white van mounted the curb, drove down the sidewalk at southbound Yonge, south of Finch, and struck eight to 10 people possibly, the numbers aren’t confirmed yet,” Toronto police spokesperson Gary Long told Canadian broadcaster Global News.

Toronto police spokeswoman Jenifferjit Sidhu told CBC News that the vehicle was stopped by police.

No description was given of the driver, including name, age, gender, or possible motive.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters: “Obviously we’re just learning of the situation in Toronto.

“Our hearts go out to anyone affected. We’re obviously going to have more to learn and more to say in the coming hours.”

Speaking in broken English, one witness told local media: “I saw there’s a white truck just go to the sidewalk and so many people just are shouting, ‘stop the car!’

“But he just keep moving and he hit some people and three people lie down there and they didn’t move at all.”

One witness told City News that the driver, whom he identified as a man, was driving on the curb “hitting anything that comes in the way”.

“People, fire hydrants, there’s mail boxes being run over,” said the unnamed man, who said he was driving behind the van during the incident.

As the van continued, the man said he honked his horn to try to warn pedestrians.

“I witnessed at least six, seven people being hit and flying in the air, like killed, on the street,” he said.

It looked like something from “a movie”, he added.

WHAT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS ARTICLE:

One witness told City News that the driver, whom he identified as a man, was driving on the curb “hitting anything that comes in the way”.
The vehicle fled the scene after the incident at a busy intersection in the north of the Canadian city, police say.
“Reports were that a white van mounted the curb, drove down the sidewalk at southbound Yonge, south of Finch, and struck eight to 10 people possibly, the numbers aren’t confirmed yet,”.