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Harlesden bus crash: At least 17 people injured after double-decker smashes into London shopfront

Around 16 people, including children, were transported to hospital, with one person treated at the scene

Caroline Mortimer
Monday 16 May 2016 07:47 EDT
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Harlesden bus crash aftermath

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At least 17 people, including four children, have been injured after a double decker bus smashed into a shop front in a north-west London town centre.

The collision happened in Harlesden High Street at around 2pm on Sunday afternoon after the No 18 bus lost control and swerved into the shop.

Among the 16 people who were transported to hospital following the incident were three who were seriously injured, with one person treated at the scene.

One witness, who wished to only be known as Harry, told the London Evening Standard there were “about a hundred” emergency services crew at the scene and an air ambulance also attended.

He said: "A bus has gone into the shop front and it looks like it's come down the high street and turned right by the clock tower.

"It looks like it's just come off the road and gone into the shop.

"The air ambulance is there and there are so many cars I can't even count them".

The damage property is believed to be a jewellery shop named Waves and the four people inside had to be rescued by firefighters using ladders at the back of the building.

The bus smashed into a jewellry shop called Waves
The bus smashed into a jewellry shop called Waves (@DJShortyBless/Twitter)

Kevin Brown, deputy director of operations at London Ambulance Service, said: “We were called at 2:03pm to reports of a collision between a bus and a building on Harlesden High Street.

“We sent multiple resources to the scene including a single responder in a car and a number of ambulance crews. We also sent our incident response and hazardous area response teams, alongside London’s Air Ambulance.

“We treated 17 patients at the scene.

“We took three patients as a priority to hospital. A further nine adults and four children with minor injuries were also taken to hospital and one was treated and discharged at the scene."

A London Metropolitan police spokesman said road closures were in place but no arrests had been made.

Tony Akers, Transport for London’s head of bus operations, told the Standard a “full investigation” into the incident would be carried out.

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