VASCO
In an unusual display of urgency, alertness and presence of mind, a group of onlookers got together and moved the bus off the car, in a bid to rescue the trapped driver.
According to reports, the incident took place as a KTC shuttle bus (GA-03-X-0439) with about 20 passengers was proceeding from Vasco to Panaji.
The bus suddenly veered and turned on its side near the Vaddem lake, before falling on an oncoming Santro Car (GA-08-F-3643), driven by a 27-year-old girl, Jewel Nunes of Chicalim.
Nunes was trapped in the car after the bus landed on the Santro. A large group of onlookers rushed to the site and made efforts to rescue Nunes and other passengers trapped in the bus.
Considering the emergency and instead of waiting for a crane to reach the site and lift the ill-fated bus, a group of onlookers got together and pushed the KTC bus off the car.
They also rescued passengers trapped in the KTC bus by breaking open the windows, before turning the bus in its normal position.
The road mishap caused a huge traffic jam and movement of vehicles was blocked for over an hour, making it difficult for emergency services vehicles to reach the site.
The Vasco police, traffic police and a fire brigade went to the site and took control of the situation.
Fire brigade officials later cut open the car door and rescued an injured Nunes. She was shifted to the Cottage hospital at Chicalim and sources informed that Nunes was further referred to the GMC hospital.
According to police, the bus driver, Nagendra Patil of Sacorda, claimed the brakes of the bus had failed when he approached the Vaddem lake and the vehicle fell on its side as he was making an effort to control the bus.
However, an eyewitness claimed that the KTC bus was speeding at the time of the mishap.
"The driver could not control the bus while negotiating a sharp turn near Vaddem and the vehicle turned on its side. Had the bus not fallen on the Santro car, it would have continued skidding on the road for some distance causing injuries to passengers in the bus and damaging many other vehicles as well," said an eyewitness.
Vasco police investigating the incident later sent the bus driver for a medical checkup and PSI Giren Naik is further investigating the case.
