Published on: 1/26/2022IST
19 injured after double-decker smashes into shop in London
Highams Park bus crash: Nineteen injured after double-decker smashes into shop
Five people, including three children and two adults, have been taken to hospital after a double-decker bus crashed into a shop on Selwyn Avenue in Highams Park on Tuesday morning.
The 212 double-decker bus collided with an end-of-terrace shop with flats above at 8.20am, injuring 19 people most of whom were treated at the scene.
The driver of the bus was trapped and crews used specialist equipment to release him, the London Fire Brigade said. He was been taken to hospital.
Station Commander Dave Hill said: “Crews made the scene safe and have carried out a systematic search of the building to ensure there are no other casualties trapped.
A mother driving behind the bus witnessed the crash and was first on the scene to help terrified schoolchildren.
The 31-year-old told The Standard: “I was right behind them. I helped all the people on the bus. I was on phone to emergency services trying to find out how many people were injured and who was the most seriously injured.
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Cafe owner Mario Jahja, 37, said he “heard the biggest crash” when the bus collided into the shopfront.
Mr Jahja, who helped rip open the front doors of the bus full of school children to help them off, said: “First thing I checked no one was under the bus.
“Then me and another man pulled at the door and ripped it open. I was scared.”
A spokesperson for the London Ambulance Service said: “We sent a number of resources to the scene including ambulance crews, advanced paramedics, paramedics in fast response cars, incident response officers and members of our Hazardous Area Response Team (HART).
“We also dispatched a trauma team from London’s Air Ambulance.
“The incident is ongoing and we are working with our emergency service colleagues.”
Responding to the incident, the mayor of London Sadiq Khan, said his “thoughts are with everyone affected”.
He tweeted: “I’ve received reports this morning of a bus crashing into a building in Highams Park in Waltham Forest.
“Emergency services are currently on the scene—we will share more information as soon as we have it..
“My thoughts are with everyone affected by this terrible incident.”
Iain Duncan Smith, MP for Chingford and Woodford Green, said: “Thank you to the first responders and emergency teams at the scene.
“My thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected. A number of people have reported suffering injuries and are being treated at the scene.”
Louise Cheeseman, Transport for London’s director of buses, said: “Our thoughts are with everyone involved in the bus collision in Highams Park this morning.
“We have support available to anyone affected by this incident and a full investigation is underway.”
Road closures remain in place around the junction of Selwyn Avenue and Winchester Road, where the crash took place.
Firefighters remain at the scene along with emergency services colleagues from London Ambulance Service and the Metropolitan Police Service.
1/26/2022 | | Permalink