A wayward garbage truck wreaked havoc in downtown Glasgow, Scotland on Monday, killing six people and wounding at least 8 others.

Police Scotland investigators said the truck was travelling north on Queen Street at around 2:30 p.m. when the driver lost control of the vehicle. The truck mounted the pavement and plowed through pedestrians and traffic signs before slamming on the side of the Millenium Hotel in George Square beside the Queen Street Station.

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Witnesses described a grim scene as people fell down "like pinballs". The truck is estimated to have travelled a distance of 300 meters before crashing to a stop into the side of the hotel.

"It's such a horrific thing. There was noise and bangs and screams...There was a baby in a buggy," witness Melanie Greig told Sky News in an interview. "There were actually two little kids. It was just horrific."

Authorities believe the first casualty may have been a pedestrian struck near the Gallery of Modern Art. As the out-of-control truck continued on, it plowed through a group of people waiting to cross the road outside Queen Street Station.

There were unconfirmed reports that the driver had been seen slumped in his seat, indicating that he may have fallen ill but the police refused to speculate. They were quick to allay fears however that it was terrorism-related, saying there was "nothing sinister" about the accident.

Although the incident does not appear to be a deliberate act of crime, Superintendent Stewart Carle said they still need to investigate it. The number of casualties may still go higher, he added.

Carle said the driver is also at hospital undergoing treatment though he did not say for what injury or ailment. The garbage truck or rubbish bin lorry belongs to the Glasgow City Council.

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