Seventy people were injured yesterday after two double-decker buses and a minibus crashed into each other during rush hour.
A taxi traveling along Yuen Long Highway at 7pm slowed down suddenly near Pok Oi Road, causing the green minibus and double-decker KMB bus behind it to halt abruptly, Apple Daily reports. The following double-decker Citybus, which didn’t manage to stop in time, collided into the back of the KMB bus.
A total of 70 people sustained injuries, most of which were minor. Four people are in serious condition, including a Citybus passenger who reportedly fractured bones in both of her legs and had to be carried out of the vehicle by authorities.
The Fire Services Department deployed 16 fire engines, 28 ambulances, and 148 personnel to rescue the affected passengers.
Of the injured, eight were sent to Princess Margaret Hospital, 17 were sent to Tuen Mun Hospital, and 15 each were sent to Pok Oi Hospital, Yan Chai Hospital, and North District Hospital.
The minibus driver, surnamed Hung, told Headline Daily that the taxi in front of him had slowed down near Pok Oi Interchange. “The driver may not have known which way to go. He stopped by the side of the road, but the taxi was still partially in [my] lane. I stopped in time, and the bus behind me did as well, but the following vehicles didn’t.”
All three drivers involved in the pile-up passed breathalyzer tests on the scene. A police investigation is underway.
