#19 injured when London double-decker bus smashes into store

This is the heart-stopping moment a bus nearly mows down a woman on a zebra crossing — seconds before it smashes into a shop front.

The red double-decker comes within inches of the pedestrian before plowing into the On Appliances store in Higham’s Park, East London, leaving three children and two adults in hospital.

A total of 19 people were injured in the smash, allegedly caused when its brakes failed.

CCTV seen from the nearby The Corner Café shows a woman nearly being struck by the 212 bus just after 8 am today.

The driver then swerves out of the way as the woman leaps across to the pavement.

Tina Hogan, 58, who works at the café, said: “The woman came in in such a fright and said that she was nearly hit.

“The bus was speeding — I’m sure of it. Some people have told me that they think the brakes were shot.

“The poor woman was shocked.”

Paramedics and passers-by rushed to the scene on Selwyn Avenue, Chingford, after the vehicle crashed into the building during the morning rush hour.

London Ambulance Service confirmed that three children and two adults had been taken to hospital, with a total of 19 people reported to be injured.

The driver of the bus had to be cut free from the vehicle and was also taken to A&E.

Café owner Eric Garip said he rushed to try to help as soon as he heard a “big bang” on the opposite side of the road.

“There were a couple of kids on the floor. We were trying to take the kids out and they were panicking,” he said.

“I spoke to the driver and said to come out, he said: ‘I can’t, I’m stuck.’ Some parents were in the bus as well, crying.

“I tried to calm them but it was a big shock. We went upstairs and told the kids to come out but one was on the stairs so were lifting them.

“It was very bad. They were all scared and crying.”

Another have-a-go hero, who was drinking a tea in the café at the time, also raced to the injured as soon as he heard the crash.

He said: “We couldn’t open the front doors, they were jammed shut. We got everyone off when we could.

“We went to see the driver, he was stuck but he was conscious.

“I just stayed with the injured — there was a lot of blood from the head injuries.

“A girl was not moving initially, I thought she was dead, but there was a strong pulse. It looked like a lot of blood was coming out from near her eye.”

A witness was on her way to college in the car behind the bus when she said it swerved over the central reservation and into the building.

She told The Telegraph: “I was right behind the bus – he tried to stop on the curb and use it as a speed bump when a boy was crossing, but he crashed into the building.

“The bus was full of people, mostly schoolchildren. It was leaking with fluids afterwards, I don’t know what they were.

“I got out of my car to help all of them off the bus. I called 999 and was trying to see who was worst injured, and I got on the bus – they were young kids, their mum and dads weren’t there, they were all in shock. I was in shock myself.

“Some of them were seriously injured. One of them fainted on the stairs, another was bleeding from the head.

“The bus driver was trapped in, behind the steering wheel – he had to be cut out.

“When I spoke to him after he was in shock, definitely. He said his brakes weren’t working.”

‘Massive explosion’

Others described hearing a “massive explosion” in the aftermath of the crash which left them “traumatized”.

The front of the store appeared to be partially destroyed, as paramedics treated several patients at the scene.

A London Ambulance Service spokesman said: “We sent a number of resources to the scene of this incident in Highams Park this morning.

“Working with our emergency service colleagues we treated and assessed 19 people at the scene.

“Of those 19, we took five people to hospital: three children and two adults.”

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “At approximately 8:20 a.m. on Tuesday January 25 police were called to reports of a bus in collision with a shop in Selwyn Avenue, E4.

“Officers and London Ambulance Service are on scene. A number of people have reported suffering injuries and are being treated at the scene.

“Road closures remain in place around the junction of Selwyn Avenue and Winchester Road.

“Inquiries into the circumstances remain ongoing.”

Waltham Forest Council added: “We’re getting information about a traffic incident on Selwyn Avenue Chingford involving a bus.

“Emergency services are on the scene – please be patient if you are in the area. We will share more info as and when it arrives.”

Bus horror

London Fire Brigade currently has two fire engines on the scene and a rescue unit assisting.

Station Commander Dave Hill said: “Firefighters used specialist cutting equipment to release the driver of the bus.

“Crews made the scene safe and have carried out a systematic search of the building to ensure there are no other casualties trapped.

“There are local road closures in place around the junction of Selwyn Avenue and Winchester Road and we would ask people to avoid the area where possible.”

Louise Cheeseman, TfL’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.”

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said his thoughts were with those affected by the “terrible” incident.

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.”

This story originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced here with permission.