Double-decker bus roof torn off: Bus hits bridge in Greater Manchester; 15 injured, 1 critical

A double-decker bus crashed into the Bridgewater Canal Aqueduct on Barton Lane in Eccles, UK, around 3 pm local time on Monday, leaving 15 people aboard injured, including one in critical condition.

According to Greater Manchester Police, the crash occurred at the junction of Barton Road and Trafford Road when the bus's roof collapsed after striking the bridge, BBC reported.

Emergency services rushed to the scene, with North West Ambulance Service(NWAS) deploying 10 emergency ambulances. “All 15 patients were treated at the scene and then transported to Salford Royal or Manchester Royal Infirmary,” NWAS confirmed. Three of the injured were reported to have sustained serious injuries, and one remains critical.

The vehicle involved in the collision was operating the 100 service route, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) said.

Eyewitness accounts describe the harrowing bus crash. A local resident said he saw the bus attempt to pass under the bridge when "two people fell from the top floor onto the ground." Another witness, Josh Tyldesley, said the roof of the bus had been "completely ripped off."

Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester Vernon Everitt said an “immediate and urgent” investigation is underway to determine how the crash occurred.

The low bridge has reportedly been the site of multiple similar collisions in recent years. Eyewitnesses said this was the “third or fourth time” they had seen a bus hit the same structure. A nearly identical incident occurred in April 2023, when another double-decker bus had its roof ripped off at the same location.