Bus crash in Wainuiomata injures five, causes power outage

The bus crashed into a pole in the middle of a roundabout in Wainuiomata, Wellington, causing a power outage for nearby homes. Photo / Reece Baker

People who ran to help injured passengers after a bus crash in Wainuiomata say some had head injuries, including a child.

Five people were reportedly hurt and about 50 homes lost power after the Wellington Metlink bus ran across a roundabout before hitting and partially knocking down a pole in Wainuiomata, a suburb of Lower Hutt.

Police said they received reports about 11.45am on Friday of a single-vehicle crash at the intersection of Coast Rd and Hine Rd. Five people were reported to have moderate injuries.

Hazel Campbell, 17, said she came outside after hearing distressed people in the street and saw an injured girl, aged about 6, being taken off the bus, passengers climbing down and neighbours pouring out of nearby houses to help.

“I heard people crying – there was a little kid crying with a swollen face and I think a head injury, and her whole eye was swollen. And someone with a leg injury that looked a little bit broken.”

Campbell said a man with facial tattoos had jumped off the bus after the crash and run away, and police officers were asking questions trying to find him. However, police told RNZ they were not looking for anyone after the crash.

Hazel’s mum Shanna Campbell said the mother of the child from the bus also had head injuries, while two elderly women, who Hazel had helped, were also injured.

“Seven or eight people were on board, and they ... were just in shock,” Shanna Campbell said. “The bus driver was concerned about the people on board and was checking on them and trying to comfort them.”

Neighbours had brought out chairs for the passengers, ice packs and blankets while ambulances arrived, and the bus driver and child were taken away in ambulances.

Wellington Electricity reported 53 homes in the area lost power, with the outage expected to last until about 3pm.

A person in the area said she heard a loud bang from several blocks away and the power in her house flickered.

She said she and other nearby residents have lost power and they can hear lots of sirens.