This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-34436360
The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 7 | Version 8 |
---|---|
Coventry bus crash: Two dead after double-decker hits supermarket | Coventry bus crash: Two dead after double-decker hits supermarket |
(about 1 hour later) | |
An eight-year-old boy and a woman thought to be in her 70s have died after a double-decker bus crashed into a supermarket in Coventry city centre, West Midlands Police have said. | An eight-year-old boy and a woman thought to be in her 70s have died after a double-decker bus crashed into a supermarket in Coventry city centre, West Midlands Police have said. |
The boy, a passenger on the top deck of the bus, and the woman, a pedestrian, both died at the scene. | The boy, a passenger on the top deck of the bus, and the woman, a pedestrian, both died at the scene. |
A nine-year-old girl is also seriously ill in hospital, while six others, including the bus driver, were hurt. | A nine-year-old girl is also seriously ill in hospital, while six others, including the bus driver, were hurt. |
The bus collided with stationary cars before hitting the Sainsbury's store. | |
Police have not commented on what caused the crash, which happened in Trinity Street at about 18:00 BST on Saturday. | |
A number of people were trapped on the bus's top deck, police added. | |
Specialist officers are supporting the families of the boy, from Leamington, and the woman, from Nuneaton. | |
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said the nine-year-old girl had injuries to her face, head and right leg and suspected chest, abdominal and pelvic injuries and was being treated in Birmingham Children's Hospital. | A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said the nine-year-old girl had injuries to her face, head and right leg and suspected chest, abdominal and pelvic injuries and was being treated in Birmingham Children's Hospital. |
Five people were taken to University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire - the bus driver, a man in his 50s, with neck and shoulder injuries; a man in his 20s with a broken arm; a man with a minor leg injury; a woman in her 60s with leg and arm injuries, and a man with a minor injury. | |
Another person was treated at the scene. | |
Stagecoach Midlands said the bus was on the X18 service from Coventry to Leamington. | |
Road closures were put in place after the crash while police carried out investigations but have now been lifted. | |
Police Supt Paul Keasey said: "We hope to carry out a swift investigation and I would like to thank people who have already come forward who witnessed the collision. | |
"This is a busy area of Coventry city centre and we hope to keep disruption to a minimum as our investigation continues; no-one has been arrested at this stage." | "This is a busy area of Coventry city centre and we hope to keep disruption to a minimum as our investigation continues; no-one has been arrested at this stage." |
Witness Maneer Fiaz told the BBC he had heard a loud bang and then saw people running towards the scene. | Witness Maneer Fiaz told the BBC he had heard a loud bang and then saw people running towards the scene. |
"Everyone was just screaming and there were two kids trapped at the top of the vehicle," he said. | "Everyone was just screaming and there were two kids trapped at the top of the vehicle," he said. |
"It was just absolute chaos." | "It was just absolute chaos." |
Bus 'skidded' | |
Another witness, Anand Basi, said: "People on the bottom deck seemed to be able to get out of the emergency door. | |
"But people on the top deck seemed to be trapped... It was chaos, everybody moving around, shouting, screaming, crying." | |
He added that the crash had taken place on a straight stretch of road and there appeared to be no obvious reason why the bus "skidded out of control". | He added that the crash had taken place on a straight stretch of road and there appeared to be no obvious reason why the bus "skidded out of control". |
A Sainsbury's spokeswoman said: "I can confirm that earlier this evening a bus mounted the pavement in Trinity Place, stopping when it made contact with the store. | A Sainsbury's spokeswoman said: "I can confirm that earlier this evening a bus mounted the pavement in Trinity Place, stopping when it made contact with the store. |
"We can confirm that we have no colleagues injured. We are working on the ground with the emergency services." | "We can confirm that we have no colleagues injured. We are working on the ground with the emergency services." |
The spokeswoman confirmed the store had been open at the time of the crash but was unable to say whether any customers had been injured. | The spokeswoman confirmed the store had been open at the time of the crash but was unable to say whether any customers had been injured. |
Are you in Coventry? Did you witness the accident? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your story. | Are you in Coventry? Did you witness the accident? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your story. |
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can contact us in the following ways: |
Or use the form below | Or use the form below |