Five people were taken to hospital after a doubledecker tourist bus had its roof torn off when it collided with a tree in central London on Monday. The incident occurred on Woburn Place in Bloomsbury, near Russell Square, at approximately 1.10pm.
The bus, operated by Golden Tours, struck an overhanging branch, shearing the roof from the front section of the vehicle. The upper deck of the bus is open-topped at the rear, but the front section was fully enclosed. Social media images showed firefighters assisting passengers from the crowded top deck.
Among the injured was reported to be a bride who had attended a wedding a few days earlier, according to Canadian tourists who were on the bus. Joseph Whelan, a Canadian tourist travelling with his wife and two children as part of a wedding group, described the scene as “total chaos”. He said the bride was among those hurt.
Laurence Hopkins, from the Universities and Colleges Employers Association, witnessed the crash. He said he heard a noise that “sounded like a bomb” through his headphones. He saw glass from the front windows come away and debris fly past. He said the roof was ripped off by a tree branch, which he found remarkable. He and other bystanders went to help, finding most passengers confused but not visibly seriously injured. Police arrived within about two minutes.
The London Fire Brigade sent two engines and 15 firefighters to the scene. They confirmed that the impact removed the roof and that five people were taken to hospital by ambulance. Around 40 other passengers, believed to be uninjured, were looked after in a nearby building. The Metropolitan Police said the bus was not operated by Transport for London and that the injuries were not life-threatening.
Andy Bassom, transport manager at Golden Tours, said an investigation was under way, including a review of on-board CCTV footage. The company operates 40 tour buses in London.
