Twenty people sustained injuries after a United Kingdom double-decker bus struck a bridge on Monday. The bus was travelling in Eccles, Salford, when its roof struck the Bridgewater Canal Aqueduct and ripped off the vehicle. The collision even caused one of the passengers to be thrown from the top deck onto the street, according to officials.
The incident was caught on a nearby surveillance camera recording the activities on Barton Lane, where the bridge stood. The sound of the collision, paired with the screams, drew the attention of those nearby.
Among the injured are three who have been hospitalised with critical wounds.
The conditions of the trio, a 19-year-old female, a man in his 20s, and another male in his 40s, were reported to be stable. In addition to the three seriously injured, twelve passengers received on-site medical attention for non-life-threatening injuries. Five others had minor injuries that did not need medical attention.
fficials suspect that the incident was caused by reckless driving and have since arrested the bus driver. While the identity of the driver was not revealed, officials said he is in his 50s. He has since been released on bail as Greater Manchester Police continue their investigation.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is now probing the circumstances surrounding the incident. According to police, the 100 service bus normally follows a different route, and they intend to uncover why it ended up at the location of the crash. Officials also confirmed that the bridge was marked with height restriction warnings, including signage and hanging chains.
Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester, Vernon Everitt, also responded to the incident, praising the swift response of the emergency services and indicating that all is being done to get to the bottom of the collision.
The Bridgewater Canal management team echoed the sentiment, confirming they are also cooperating with officials. While expressing concern, they sent well-wishes to the injured. They also said the bridge will be reviewed to determine if the structure was damaged. A similar incident happened in April 2023, when another bus struck the bridge.
