Bus driver 'suffered medical episode' moments before Manchester city centre crash

The driver of a double-decker bus suffered a medical episode moments before a major crash in Manchester city centre, it is understood.

Seven people were taken to hospital after the smash at the junction of Whitworth Street and Oxford Street shortly after midday on Tuesday, 8 August.

Around 15 to 20 people are understood to have been hurt, but their injuries were deemed to be 'minor' after the bus smashed into a central reservation on the road.

It is understood that the driver suffered a medical episode just before the crash, which caused them to lose control of the bus.

A Stagecoach spokesperson said: "The safety of our drivers and customers is our upmost priority. An investigation is ongoing into the causes of the incident, and it would be premature to comment on the outcome at this stage."

Their current condition is not yet known. One witness said it was a 'miracle nobody was hurt' in the collision.

Dramatic pictures showed a huge emergency services presence on the scene, as the busy city centre road was closed off by police.

The bus was left with a smashed windscreen, while a traffic light was knocked over and debris was left strewn across the road.

One eyewitness described the chaotic scenes after hearing a 'loud bang', that saw people frantically run over to the double-decker bus and check nobody was trapped underneath, before local store staff got water and tissues for those involved.

Justyn Waby said: "I was in Sainsbury's and there was a sudden loud bang, so quite a few of us quickly ran outside.

"The bus had demolished half the central reservation at the crossing and taken out the traffic lights.

"The first worry was someone could've been injured because it's a busy crossing in the city centre, so people were looking underneath the bus.

"People on the bus were very very distressed and shaken up by it. It was pretty chaotic at first - the police were assessing the situation and severity of it.

"The bus was halfway across the junction and the traffic light was lying down in front of it.

"The police, fire and ambulance services were on the scene within minutes and there didn’t seem to be any serious injuries, which is lucky as I’ve waited in that middle crossing point many times and this would have been serious had anyone been there.

"The team from Sainsbury’s were brilliant helping the people on the bus. They were getting tissues, bottles of water and chairs to make the passengers more comfortable.

"If someone had been standing at that crossing, they'd have been absolutely demolished. It's a miracle there wasn't more damage or anyone was more seriously hurt."

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police at the time said: "Initial enquiries suggested that a bus had collided with a central reservation on the junction with Oxford Street and Whitworth Street, emergency services are still in attendance, with the road currently closed as they continue to clear the road."

A spokesperson for Stagecoach added in an earlier statement: "We are working extremely closely with the emergency services and other agencies to assist with their ongoing enquiries and our first thoughts are with those affected."

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said: “Two fire engines from Gorton station quickly attended the scene. The collision involved a bus which had gone into some street furniture.

"Seven casualties were transferred to the care of colleagues from NWAS and conveyed to hospital.

"Firefighters used specialist equipment to make the scene safe and were in attendance for around 90 minutes."