Several injuries in Ottawa bus crash, no immediate word of fatalities

OTTAWA — Several people were seriously injured Friday when a double-decker city bus struck a transit shelter in Ottawa on Friday afternoon, police said.

Photos posted on Twitter showed extensive damage to the front of the bus, with the roof of a shelter well into the vehicle’s second deck.

There were multiple critical injuries, though no immediate report of fatalities, the Ottawa Paramedic Service said.

The accident took place at 3:50 p.m., during Friday rush hour, at Westboro station in an urban neighbourhood west of downtown.

The crash snarled afternoon traffic as emergency crews descended on the scene. Police were urging people to avoid the area.

Buses were being detoured as a result of the accident, OC Transpo said.

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson tweeted he was shocked to hear of the “horrific incident.”

“My first thoughts are with those who have been injured and their families. I have asked staff to ensure all necessary resources are made available to assist them through this difficult time,” he said. “Westboro station is still an active emergency site, and I would ask residents to stay out of the way in order to assist first responders with their work.”

In 2013, an Ottawa bus collided with a Via Rail train in suburban Barrhaven, killing six people.

The Canadian Press