Witnesses claim pedestrians ran out in front of a bus moments before a crash that killed a young woman and injured three other people in London.
The victim, aged in her thirties, was struck outside one of London’s busiest stations at rush hour this morning when two buses collided.
A 507 red single-decker ran into the back of another bus, pushing it into pedestrians who were crossing the road in front of Victoria train station around 8.25am Tuesday.
Commuters heard a 'very loud bang' and a woman screaming before emergency services rushed to the scene to help.
Witnesses claimed the second bus slammed on its brakes as pedestrians crossed in front, then the bus behind smashed into the back, throwing it forward into the victims.
Two of the injured pedestrians were taken to hospital, while a third was discharged by paramedics at the scene.
The fatally-injured woman was pronounced dead at the scene.
The bus had to be hoisted off the ground by a fire engine to free the victim who was trapped underneath, shocked passers-by said.
Fazian Raja, 27, from Ilford, East London, said: “I saw some people run across the road in front of the bus and that’s when I heard a very loud bang.
“So I think he must have slammed on the brakes and the bus behind him went straight into him.
“Some guy called the police and in five or 10 minutes they were here. I couldn’t see what was going on because I was too far away.”
Laura Anghel, 39, from South London said: “I heard a very strong noise and the voice of a woman shouting - you could tell she was screaming out of fear.
“I saw a leg sticking out from under the bus but I’m not sure if it was a man or a woman.
“They lifted up the bus with a fire engine and got the person out from underneath, but they had closed everything so I couldn’t see what was happening.
“I just saw they had laid the body at the front of the bus and covered it with a grey tent.
“A police lady came to have a coffee and said a woman had been hit and that she died almost straight away.
“I saw a man, who I think was the bus driver, getting carried away in a wheelchair. He was a tall man without any hair.”
The buses involved in a crash were towed away on Tuesday evening.
Two trucks spent over an hour separating the two single-decker buses before removing them from the scene just before 5pm.
The windscreen of the vehicle which smashed into the back of the other was completely shattered, with bits of glass falling to the floor as it was dragged away.
A crime scene is still in place and the bus station outside Victoria station remained closed into Tuesday evening.
The Met Police and transport authorities are investigating the incident.
A Met statement said all parties remained at the scene following the crash, and there had been no arrests.
The force is appealing for any witnesses to the incident to come forward and share information with police.
Transport for London (TfL) has staff they are 'extremely saddened' by the crash and will be investigating the incident.
Andy Byford, TfL’s Commissioner, said: “We are extremely saddened that a woman has tragically died after a collision with a bus and our thoughts are with her family and friends.
"We are thinking of everyone affected by this incident and will support everyone however we can.
"We are working urgently with the operator of the two buses, Go Ahead London, and the police to investigate what happened.”
