Ottawa bus struck by passenger train, 4 dead

[redheadbaker]

www.ottawacitizen.com/news/ottawa/Multiple+fatalities+train+Transpo+collision/8927263/story.html

OTTAWA — Ottawa police say an OC Transpo bus driver and four passengers are dead following a crash between a bus and VIA Rail train near the Fallowfield station in Barrhaven Tuesday morning.

There were multiple injuries as well. As of 9:30 a.m., one patient was being treated in the emergency room at the Queensway Carleton Hospital and two were on the way to the Queensway Carleton. Seven casualties were also routed to the Civic campus of the Ottawa Hospital.

Robert Kurtenbach was on the top level of the bus on his way to work downtown.

He said the bus had gone about half a kilometre from the Transitway station when suddenly he was aware a train was right in front of the bus.

“The bus didn’t appear to slow down,” he said, and the front end slammed hard into the side of the train.

People screamed, and he was thrown forward and twisted his leg, but feels he is lucky not to have been hurt worse.

Those at the front were badly hurt, he said.

“I could see bodies lying there,” inside the bus. He couldn’t estimate the number who seemed badly injured “but it was more than two or three.”

He couldn’t see the driver.

He said the crash ripped up the front of the bus badly.

Kurtenbach appeared shaken by the experience and was waiting for his daughter to come and take him home. His wife died in March.

The collision tore off the front of the northbound bus. The Via train, a locomotive and four passengers cars, came to a halt about 100 metres west of the collision. The locomotive and one car had derailed.

Train 51 left Ottawa Station at 8:34 bound for Toronto.

Mayor Jim Watson tweeted: “My thoughts are with the victims of this accident. Please pray for those affected and for our 1st responders dealing with this tragedy.”

At Ottawa City Hall, an early-morning transit commission meeting was cancelled.

“It’s bad. It’s really bad,” said Coun. Diane Deans.

Via Rail said they would provide comment later Wednesday morning.

Investigators with the Transportation Safety Board are en route to the scene.

In the early 2000s, the city had a plan to build an underpass for Woodroffe Avenue and then yet-to-be-built Transitway next to it, to separate traffic from the trains.

The $40-million project, whose cost was to be split among the city, provincial and federal governments, was put on hold in 2003 when it turned out that an unusual kind of rock in the area let water flow too freely into the construction trench. The problem was solvable, city officials said at the time, but it would have cost more money; city council would have had to vote to spend it in 2004 and the other governments would have to be asked to kick in, too.

In 2002, then-mayor Bob Chiarelli described the intersection of tracks and road as “a very, very severe public safety issue.”

[Deleted]

Terrible accident. 



I saw a comment from a person who was on the train. That person said that they barely felt anything, just a little bump.

[Deleted]

I have several friends who take the bus to work in Ottawa. I've sent a few texts but haven't heard anything back yet. I am sure they are fine, its just so sad and scary all around.

I think they have increased the death toll to 5.

[elleblue]

How horrible!

[meggers5]

My coworker lives in this area. One of her daughter's friends ran for this bus but missed it, and her daughter's other friend was on the bus and was knocked out.

Just awful.

[iammalcolmx]

My goodness that is awful.

[Velar Fricative]

OMG that picture is awful.

[Deleted]

Officials are saying that the investigation into what happened could take up to a year.

It's crazy how many incidences involving trains have been int he news this year. I don't remember hearing about train disasters much before this year.

[meshaliuknits]

Sept 18, 2013 11:02:52 GMT -5 meggers5 said:

My coworker lives in this area. One of her daughter's friends ran for this bus but missed it, and her daughter's other friend was on the bus and was knocked out.

Just awful.

That would mess me up. I'd spend the rest of my days waiting for my oven to explode in my face. I watch too much tv.

I'm glad they are ok.

[Deleted]

The death toll has been increased to 6

My friends are all fine and accounted for. I am very grateful for that. They were just trying to respond to SO MANY people texting and calling them.