Shocking video footage shows how a double decker bus full of students crashed into a river today when the brakes allegedly failed and the accelerator jammed.
Nearly 20 children were injured after the Blustar vehicle fell off the road and ended up in the water in Eastleigh, Hampshire – with footage showing how it left the street.
Five people including the bus driver were taken to hospital for treatment with two of them in ‘serious but not life-threatening’ condition after the incident at about 10am.
Fire crews were seen with stretchers on hand to take people off the bus which was carrying passengers from Barton Peveril Sixth Form College in the town.
Local resident Kelly West was working from home at the time and ran outside when she heard screeching and saw the bus ‘come careering into the river’.
She told BBC News that she spoke to the driver who told her that the ‘brakes were not working’ and ‘the accelerator jammed’ and he was ‘doing the best he could to avoid cars as he was coming down the road’.
At least five ambulances were at the scene on the residential Bishopstoke Road and an air ambulance landed near the crash site, which was cordoned off by police.
The father of one of the passengers said his 17-year-old son thought the crash happened quickly and could not see what caused the incident.
Scott Agass said: ‘We are just waiting for our son who was onboard. They are not in the bus at the moment, I think they are all out. He said he was sitting there with a blanket and a monitor on his finger.
‘He doesn’t really know what happened or what caused it. I suppose it just happened so quick. All he saw was that it crashed and gone in the river.’
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1 of 3: The video begins with the bus being driven along the road in Eastleigh, Hampshire
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2 of 3) But the bus then veers off to the side of the road as a jogger runs the other way
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3 of 3) The bus then drops into the ditch after coming off the road, and can no longer be seen
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The scene on Bishopstoke Road in Eastleigh, Hampshire, today after the bus came off the road
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An aerial view of the crash scene today as emergency services respond in Eastleigh
Local resident Jonathan Holdstock said: ‘It was half ten when I heard a bunch of sirens. When I heard it was a bus in the river I didn’t believe it.’
Keith Trenchard, from Eastleigh, had been out with his family when he came across the scene. He said: ‘We arrived 20 minutes after and it was all closed off. They have the divers here as well from the police and the fire brigade.’
Inspector Andy Tester, of Hampshire Constabulary, said a total of 20 people were onboard the bus, 19 of which were passengers.
He said: ‘It must have been terrifying and my thoughts are very much with what the children and the driver on the bus, who must have had a terrifying experience.’
Mr Tester added that several people including the driver were trapped on board when emergency services arrived.
He said: ‘There were a large number of specialist resources helping to get people out of the bus.
‘Some people had got themselves out of the bus, and it was obviously important to us to triage the injured people, to assess the people who were still stuck in the bus, and to make sure we had accounted for everyone.’
Mr Tester also praised the bravery of members of the public and emergency services who helped at the scene.
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The Blustar bus carrying pupils from Barton Peveril Sixth Form College came off the road
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An aerial view of the crash scene during the emergency service response in Eastleigh today
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The double-decker bus carrying sixth-form college students crashed off the road today
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Inspector Andy Tester of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary at the scene today
He said: ‘So there was a lot of bravery shown by many people who were first on scene, who didn’t have training to work in water and weren’t equipped, but quickly backed up by our fire and ambulance colleagues who did have the right training to make it safe and make it a safe working environment.’
Mr Tester added: ‘We believe that everyone, every passenger on the bus, was a student heading to Barton Peveril College.
‘And I would stress at this point that all of those, all all of those people, their families, have been notified, and that has all been done so they are in touch with their loved ones.’
He continued: ‘There’s no indication at the moment as to why the bus left the road, and that is what’s going to form part of our immediate investigation.
‘We hope to open the road within 12 hours. That is our best hope.
‘We will do the best we can to shorten that but, as you’ll appreciate, we have to do a thorough examination of the scene, and then there’s a complex recovery of getting the bus out of the river.’
A spokesperson for South Central Ambulance Service said: ‘We have sent multiple units to the incident including five ambulances, two helicopters, and specialist response units.
‘We’re continuing to support and assess patients on scene. All patients have been removed from the bus. Three high priority patients are being taken to hospital. Around 14 with less serious injuries are being treated on scene.’
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The scene at Bishopstoke Road in Eastleigh today following the double-decker bus crash
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The double-decker bus left the road and ended up in the water in Eastleigh, Hampshire, today
A spokesperson for Barton Peveril Sixth Form College has said: ‘We are aware of an incident involving the College 607 Bus. College staff are working closely with the police to ensure the safety and well-being of all students.
‘We ask that people do not attend the actual scene. For concerned parents, an Incident Centre has been established at The Hub at Bishopstoke.
‘An officer and college staff will be available at the Hub to provide updates and address any questions you may have.’
A Hampshire Constabulary spokesman said: ‘We are currently dealing with an incident on Bishopstoke Road in Eastleigh, after College Bus 607 for Barton Peveril students left the carriageway into a river.
‘Emergency services are in attendance and the road has been closed so please avoid the area.
‘It is anticipated the road may be closed for up to 12 hours for investigation and recovery work.
‘Everyone on the bus has been accounted for and all injured persons are being treated by the ambulance service.’
A Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: ‘We are on scene of an RTC involving one double decker bus that went off the road in Bishopstoke, Eastleigh.
‘Fire crews from Eastleigh, St Mary’s, Redbridge, Hightown and Portchester are in attendance alongside emergency service colleagues.
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At least five ambulances were at the scene on a residential road in the Hampshire town today
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Emergency services at the scene in Eastleigh this morning after the double decker bus crash
‘People are asked to avoid the area to help emergency services deal with this incident.’
Richard Tyldsley, Bluestar general manager, said: ‘One of our buses, carrying students to Barton Peveril College, was involved in an incident earlier this morning in Bishopstoke Road, Eastleigh.
‘Reports suggest the bus left the highway and came to rest in a shallow river.
‘There were 19 passengers on-board at the time. Our driver and at least two of the passengers have confirmed injuries, and we are awaiting further updates on the status of others on-board.
‘We do not currently have full details of their injuries and are following their progress closely.
‘Our thoughts are with everybody involved, and we wish those who were injured a full and speedy recovery.
‘At this time, we do not know the circumstances behind this incident and are carrying out an immediate investigation. We are also assisting the police as they carry out their own inquiries.’
