Pregnant woman among injured

A TCM bus crashed into the back of a Transmac bus outside a public bus stop near the Lago (“Lake”) public housing estate (湖畔大廈) in Taipa yesterday afternoon, injuring nine passengers in total on the two public buses, including a pregnant woman, the authorities said.

All nine passengers sustained slight injuries, eight of whom were rushed to hospital, while one of them declined to be taken to hospital. There were no updates about their conditions as of last night.

According to statements by the Fire Services Bureau (CB) and the Public Security Police (PSP), the accident occurred at around 1:30 p.m. yesterday when the No. 30 route bus rammed into the back of the No. 34 route bus at the bus stop in front of Jardim do Lago (“Lake Garden”) (湖畔花園) in Taipa in Estrada da Ponta da Cabrita (雞頸馬路).

Neither bus driver was injured. Both passed a breathalyser test.

According to the CB statements, the nine injured passengers comprised four males and five females. The four males comprised a 24-year-old mainlander and three local boys, aged eight, 10 and 11.

The nine injured passengers comprised eight local residents and a mainlander.

The five females included a 37-year-old pregnant woman. The other four females are aged 26, 53, 58 and 64, according to the CB statement.

Eight of the nine passengers were rushed to the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre, while the 53-year-old woman declined to be taken to hospital for further medical examination and treatment, according to the CB statement. The nine passengers sustained slight contusions, lacerations or abrasions, the statement said.

All the uninjured passengers left the two buses unaided after the accident.

The preliminary findings of an investigation by the Public Security Police show that the TCM bus driver failed to brake in time after he tailgated the Transmac bus – i.e., following the vehicle in front too closely, according to a PSP statement.

The police said they are continuing their investigation so as to confirm the exact cause of the collision.

TCM told the local Chinese-language media yesterday that its driver, a 56-year-old, has been working for the company for three years. The media did not mention whether there was any statement by Transmac about the accident.

Police officers work at the scene where two public buses collided at the bus stop in front of Jardim do Lago (“Lake Garden”) in Taipa yesterday.  Photo courtesy of TDM

Police officers and paramedics help a boy, an injured passenger, get into an ambulance after the accident yesterday.  Photo courtesy of TDM