Nearly 80 people were injured today when two double-decker buses collided near the Tai Lam Tunnel in the New Territories at around 8:30am, with one of the drivers trapped in the vehicle until being extricated by first responders.
According to RTHK, a Kowloon Motor Bus-operated coach was exiting the Tai Lam Tunnel in the direction of Kowloon when a CityBus coach slammed into it from behind, severely denting the rear and exposing its engine.
The CityBus vehicle’s windshield was shattered inward and its doors were bent out of shape, leaving the driver trapped until the fire brigade rescued him.
“A lot of passengers were sleeping at the time and suddenly jolted awake. Many were thrown from their seats and crashed onto the bus walkway upon impact,” one of the affected passengers, Mr Lai, said.
According to the Fire Services Department, 26 ambulances and 15 fire engines were deployed to the scene.
A total of 77 people were injured, with 22 hospitalized, and six in serious condition.
Today’s crash was at least the second serious CityBus crash this year, after an accident in which one of the operator’s vehicles slammed into a broken-down box truck in March, killing two.
The incident also added to the long list of rush hour woes all over Hong Kong this morning, as protestor-driven MTR disruptions caused delays for thousands of commuters.
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