Highams Park: Children among 19 injured in London bus crash

Three children and two adults were taken to hospital after a double decker bus ploughed into a building in north-east London.

Emergency crews raced to the scene in Highams Park on Tuesday morning after the bus collided with an end-of-terrace shop with flats above.

The bus driver was trapped in the vehicle and had to be cut free by firefighters, while three children and two adults were taken to hospital.

Witnesses described hearing what sounded like a "really loud explosion" just after 8.20am followed by seeing efforts to help frightened children from the bus.

Watch: Highams Park crash: Bus caught almost hitting woman before crash

London Fire Brigade said firefighters were called to Selwyn Avenue where the bus had collided with an end-of-terrace shop with flats above.

The brigade said the driver was trapped by his injuries but was taken to hospital after fire crews cut him free using specialist equipment.

London Ambulance Service (LAS) said crews treated and assessed 19 people at the scene and of those, three children and two adults were taken to hospital.

Katriye Osman, who dialled 999 after hearing what sounded like a “really loud explosion”, witnessed the aftermath from outside her beauty salon, with around 50 or 60 schoolchildren were standing around the bus after it collided with the repairs shop.

She said: "It was absolutely awful. It happened so quickly but all I know is as it was going over it felt quite quick.

"I’m really really shaken up by it. It was like a really really loud explosion. It was really traumatising."

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CCTV video seen from The Corner Cafe showed a woman nearly being hit at the zebra crossing by the double-decker.

The bus is seen to swerve as the woman jumps across to the pavement.

Tina Hogan, 58, who works at the cafe, said: "The woman came in such a fright and said that she was nearly hit.

"The poor woman was shocked."

After the crash locals helped frightened schoolchildren, with one handing out water and tissues while others helped get children off the bus.

Eric Garip, 38, who owned The Corner Cafe, said he rushed out after hearing a "big bang" on the opposite side of the road and began trying to carry people out through the emergency door of the bus.

"There were a couple of kids on the floor," he said. "We were trying to take the kids out and they were panicking. I spoke to the driver and said to come out, he said: ‘I can’t, I’m stuck’."

He added: "Some parents were in the bus as well, crying. I tried to calm them but it was a big shock.

"We went upstairs and told the kids to come out but one was on the stairs so (we) were lifting them. It was very bad. They were all scared and crying."

Another person who was drinking tea in the cafe revealed he also went to go help the injured.

He said: "I was in the coffee shop and heard the crash.

"We couldn't open the front doors they were jammed shut. We got everyone off when we could.

"We went to see the driver, he was stuck but he was conscious.

"I just stayed with the injured - there was a lot of blood from the head injuries.

"The girl was not moving initially, I thought she was dead.

"There was a strong pulse and it looked like a lot of blood was coming out from near her eye."

After the crash, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan tweeted: "I’ve received reports this morning of a bus crashing into a building in Highams Park in Waltham Forest.

"Emergency services are currently on the scene—we will share more information as soon as we have it. My thoughts are with everyone affected by this terrible incident."

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