Two dead in crash between bus and car
By Matt Johnson
A young man and woman have died after a car and a Croydon bus crashed on Saturday night.
The car, a black Fiat Punto, was carrying five people when it was in collision with a double decker 119 bus at about 10.38pm on Corkscrew Hill, West Wickham.
Police, ambulance crews and fire fighters attended the scene within minutes. An air ambulance was also called.
The car was so badly damaged in the crash that firefighters had to cut all four passengers free, forcing the closure of the road until the early hours of Sunday morning.
The driver of the Fiat, a man believed to be in his early 20s, was pronounced dead at the scene.
A woman passenger in the rear of vehicle was taken to the Princess Royal University Hospital, Orpington where she later died as a result of a serious head injury.
Another woman passenger was taken to the same hospital, also with a head injury while the two other female passengers were taken to Kings College Hospital and Mayday.
The deceased have yet to be positively identified. It is not known where they are from, although police say their families have been informed.
Two other women in the car have also been taken to hospital where their conditions are described as not life threatening.
The bus driver was treated for shock but no passengers are believed to have been injured.
A spokesman for the London Ambulance Service said: "We got a call at 11.10pm to a report of a road traffic accident involving a bus and a car on Corkscrew Hill, West Wickham.
"Sadly one patient was deceased at the scene.
"There were four other patients: A 30-year-old woman was taken to Princess Royal University hospital with a serious head injury. A 25-year-old woman went to the same hospital with a head injury.
"A 29-year-old woman was taken to Kings College Hospital with a serious head injury. Another female patient was taken to Mayday with minor injuries."
The Collision Investigation Unit at Catford Traffic Garage are investigating the incident. No arrests have been made.
No one from Metrobus, who operate the 119 service between Bromley North and Purley Way, was available for comment.
27 Comments
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by anom, kent
Friday, November 14 2008, 9:47PM
“the black car did not fail 2 take the bend. there was no eye witness there thank u very much!”
by local resident, Corkscrew Hill, West Wickham
Friday, October 31 2008, 4:51PM
“As I called 999 the moment the crash happened, which was about 11.10 p.m., I can assure you that the first paramedic turned up within minutes, followed very quickly by the police and the fire service. Please don't speculate until all the facts are in, but an eye witness told me that the black car came up Corkscrew Hill fast, and failed to take the bend, causing a front on collision with the bus. There were no parked cars on the bus's side of the road. Heartfelt sympathy to the families of the deceased, and hopes of a speedy recovery for the one still in hospital.”
by val, london
Wednesday, October 29 2008, 12:37PM
“still no comments from the metrobus company!
WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
by saffron, syd
Tuesday, October 28 2008, 5:29PM
“RIP Lukey i cant belive it hun you will be missed saffron xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx”
by Teresa, croydon
Tuesday, October 28 2008, 12:42PM
“R.I.P Luke, he was a genuine and lovely person and will be missed by so many. My thoughts go out to his family and all his friends at betts park and from john rigby. You will never be forgotton xxx”