Driver arrested after 8 hurt in bus plunge
Police arrested the driver of a private estate shuttle bus yesterday after eight people were injured when it rolled down a five-metre slope in Stanley and crashed into trees.
Police said the accident occurred at about 9am when the 52-year-old driver of the 16-seater suddenly felt dizzy as the minibus reached Stanley Beach Road. It crossed the opposite lane and footpath and rolled down the slope, leaving a skid mark on the road.
A construction worker said: 'I heard a loud noise, then I walked out and saw the bus toppled. Then all the workers went to help them out.'
Another witness said: 'Some Filipino maids living nearby came and helped. Some family members rushed to the scene and took away two children ... it was very chaotic.'
All passengers and the driver suffered minor limb injuries. Some were able to walk free from the wreckage, while others had to be pulled out by passers-by and neighbours.
The injured, three males and five females aged 12 to 52, were taken to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan. Four were treated and discharged and the remainder were in stable condition.
Chung Hom Kok fire station commander Yu Kam-shan said the minibus had been stopped by some trees.
Six fire engines and 10 ambulances were sent to the scene. Firemen abseiled down the hill and used heat sensors to see if anyone was still trapped in the wreckage.
Police later arrested the driver for dangerous driving. He was granted bail and must report to police early next month.
The vehicle was taken to the Quarry Bay vehicle pound.
A spokeswoman for Jones Lang LaSalle, which manages The Manhattan, the estate that runs the shuttle bus, said the vehicle underwent an annual inspection on June 7 and no problems had been found.
She said the driver worked part-time for the estate and had more than 10 years' driving experience. He had been hired in January and had not taken any sick leave.
