KOCHI: A speeding private bus here on Monday hit 13 vehicles after the driver was unable to control the vehicle as the brake pedal came off. This was revealed by a preliminary probe, police said. The incident, which sparked widespread panic, occurred on Foreshore Road. Barring minor injuries to some of the occupants of the vehicles involved in the accident, the rest, including the bus passengers, escaped unscathed.
An eyewitness said that the incident occurred around 11 am when the driver of ‘Maria’ (KL-07 BF 8061) plying on Edakochi-Kakkanad route lost control. “After negotiating the curve near the Foreshore Road, the speed of the bus increased. It first hit a car carrying two women, including an elderly one, which was going in front. In the resulting impact, the car was pushed to the left side of the road.
The bus again moved to the right and hit parked vehicles. After moving a few yards, the bus came to a halt after it hit a tree. The front windshield was shattered and bumper was broken. Thirteen vehicles, including two autorickshaws, were badly damaged. An autorickshaw even overturned after being hit by the bus,” said a tea shop vendor at Foreshore Road.
The police said around 20 persons were taken to nearby hospitals, but they were discharged after being given first aid. “Two women whose car first took the hit underwent medical check-up. They sustained minor injuries. The driver and owner of the bus turned up at the police station. They were released after their statement was taken down. A case has been registered and investigation is on,” an officer said.
Police are also looking into whether speeding triggered the accident. “The buses sweep across the curve near Fine Arts Hall at high speed and minor accidents are frequent. We will check private CCTV cameras in the area before arriving at a conclusion. As there was some academic programme at an education institute located at Foreshore Road, several cars were parked on either sides of the road when the accident occurred,” an officer said.
Traffic on the stretch was thrown out of gear for over an hour in the accident’s wake. Later, movement of vehicles along the route could be restored through the joint efforts of police and those who gathered at the accident site.