Canadian emergency workers respond at the scene of a collision between a city bus and a passenger train in Ottawa on September 18, 2013.
A city bus has collided with a passenger train in the Canadian capital Ottawa, killing at least five people, emergency officials say.
The collision occurred in the west end of Ottawa on Wednesday during morning rush hour. Ottawa Fire Services spokesman Marc Messier said initial estimates indicate that five people have died and a number of other bus passengers have been injured.
The impact caused severe damage to the front end of the bus, and at least two of the train’s cars derailed.
According to witnesses, the double-decker city bus went through a closed crossing barrier.
“People started screaming, ‘Stop, stop!’ because they could see the train coming down the track,” said Tanner Trepaniere, who was sitting on the top level of the bus.
Rescue crews were called to the crash site and the injured who could walk were taken to a nearby second bus to be treated by paramedics.
Three of the injured, taken to Ottawa Hospital, are reportedly in critical condition.
This is the second deadly train crash in Canada since an oil train derailed and exploded in Lac-Megantic on July 6, which killed 50 people and destroyed the center of the Quebec town.
Canada’s two big railroads – Canadian National Railway Co and Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd – have since the Lac-Megantic derailment launched a major review of the country’s railway regulations.
CAH/KA
Bus, train collide in Canada capital
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