Seven injured after open-top bus crashes into walkway in North Point

A double-decker, open-top bus smashed into a walkway in North Point on Sunday afternoon, leaving seven people with minor injuries.

The tour vehicle, operated by Citybus, had been hired by Hong Kong bank HSBC for a private event, according to SCMP.

The front of the bus’ top deck was crumpled and the windshield for passengers on that level smashed in after it collided with steps leading up to the pedestrian overpass across King’s Road about 2pm.

The damage can be seen in pictures uploaded to Facebook, which show several passengers wearing HSBC polo shirts and at least one child on the upper deck.

SCMP said the bus was making a right turn from Tin Chiu Street onto Kings Road when it hit the walkway, which links to the Healthy Gardens estate.

Five adults and two children suffered minor injuries and were sent to Eastern Hospital. The driver passed a breathalyzer test but has been temporarily suspended from his duties while City Bus investigates the crash, according to a company representative that spoke to the SCMP.

A HSBC spokesperson told the newspaper it was assisting those involved, who were participating in an event for the company’s Hong Kong Community Day.

Though the incident saw traffic closed for a few hours yesterday, the crash was a far cry from the devastation wrought in September when a double decker bus plowed into an intersection in Sham Shui Po during Friday night traffic, killing three people and injuring 29.

In that case, it later emerged the driver had been working 13-hour shifts for several consecutive days.