Police are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding an accident in which a bus smashed into an Indian restaurant in Brisbane, Australia on Saturday afternoon. Although the investigation is still in its preliminary stages, police authorities say that it is likely that the bus driver will not face any criminal charges.
It was a shocking scene on Melbourne Street on Saturday afternoon, with the wreckage of a large passenger bus protruding through the window of West End Indian Restaurant, the Punjabi Palace, surrounded by shattered glass and debris. The Brisbane City Council bus plunged through the window of the restaurant after losing control on a bend in the road, injuring nine people.
According to a spokesman for the national ambulance service, six of the injured were treated at the scene, while three people were transferred to the Mater, Princess Anne and Royal Brisbane hospitals by ambulance for further management. None of the injuries sustained in the accident were life-threatening, and authorities stressed that the injured were transferred to hospital for precautionary reasons. All of the injured have since been released from hospital, including the male bus driver.
Police authorities that are investigating the case say that the bus driver may face fines for the incident, and may have to provide compensation to the restaurant for the damage to property caused. Although still early in the investigation, a police spokesperson has said that generally criminal charges are not filed in incidents such as this one. There was no evidence of alcohol or substance abuse by the driver.
The accident occurred on Saturday afternoon, when the bus was involved in an accident with three other cars before veering off the road and plowing through the window of the popular Indian restaurant. The driver was only person on board the bus at the time, as the bus was out of service.
Fire and emergency rescue crews responded rapidly to the scene of the accident, and the road between Cordelia and Manning Streets was closed while the bus was extracted from the restaurant and the debris cleared from the scene. Eye witness reports show that the bus was travelling southbound in the busy area when it hit into a Subaru, Mercedes and a Lexus before losing control and smashing into the restaurant.
A family from Toowoomba arrived at the restaurant to eat just minutes after the accident occurred and were stunned to see a bus protruding from the window of their favourite eating spot.