KEY POINTS:
Police have praised the actions of an injured bus driver after a collision in Hamilton today.
The man suffered facial injuries, but still tended to his passengers, some of whom were also injured, after the crash.
Five people were taken to Waikato Hospital after a van collided with
the bus, which ended up on top of a parked car.
Sergeant Philip Ruddell, of the Hamilton Strategic Traffic Unit, said the crash happened at a roundabout at the intersection of State Highway 1/Greenwood St and Killarney Rd about 11.30am.
"Initial indications on the cause of the crash are that a northbound Nissan van has gone straight through the roundabout striking the westbound bus," he said.
The impact of the collision propelled the bus driver from his seat and the bus careered between two power-poles, ending up on top of a car parked in a car dealership.
"Police would like to acknowledge the actions of the bus driver who, despite suffering facial injuries, remained entirely professional, seeing to the well-being of his passengers," said Mr Ruddell.
James Murphy, 16, was on board when the accident occurred.
He said the bus driver struggled to control the vehicle but it eventually came to a stop, mounting and crushing a car in a nearby car yard.
"It was pretty out of it, there were people screaming and freaking out but we were pretty lucky, thanks to the driver."
Not so fortunate was a woman sitting on the side of the bus which took the impact.
"I think she was unconscious for a while," said Mr Murphy.
"She was just lying on the floor crying, it was pretty sad," he said.
The woman was taken to hospital along with the driver of the van, an elderly man, who had to be prised from his vehicle by fire fighters.
Both are understood to have suffered serious injuries.
St John Ambulance spokesman Warren Rosser said two ambulances and a number of emergency response vehicles arrived at the scene to assess the injured.
"Three patients were transported to Waikato Hospital by ambulance - a 61-year-old female passenger from the bus with chest injuries, a man aged in his sixties believed to have been the van driver suffering from leg injuries, and another woman, age unknown, suffering from minor injuries," Mr Rosser said.
Killarney Rd remained closed for over two hours as emergency service personnel and salvage crews worked to remove the three damaged vehicles.
Mr Ruddell said serious crash unit investigators were carrying out a scene examination.
Waikato police communications manager, Andrew McAlley, said police investigations were continuing into the cause of the crash.
- with NZPA
