Bus crash in Pineda de Mar: 40 injured in tunnel collision
6:11 PM EDT, July 16, 2024
A horrific accident occurred on the C-32 road in Pineda de Mar (Barcelona). The bus, carrying 52 people, collided with the tunnel structure. According to PAP, 40 passengers were injured.
The dramatic accident occurred on Tuesday in the municipality of Pineda de Mar in the province of Barcelona, in the northeast of Spain. The bus, belonging to the Monbus company and transporting Inditex employees from Barcelona, hit the entrance wall of the tunnel. At least 52 passengers were traveling on the bus.
According to information provided by the Spanish civil defense, 10 fire units, 15 ambulances, and two rescue helicopters were dispatched to the accident site. The rescuers admitted that reaching the injured was challenging due to the bus's vertical position, which got stuck at the tunnel entrance.
Around noon Eastern Time, Spanish services reported that all the passengers had been rescued from the bus. According to local media, some managed to get out of the vehicle alone. The rescuers put the most effort into releasing the bus driver, trapped in the bus. According to euronews.com, he is one of the most seriously injured.
The local fire chief, Jordi Martin, reported that the injured were taken to three medical facilities. Some bus passengers who were less seriously injured were treated on-site by medical rescuers.
The director of the Catalan Traffic Service, Ramon Lamiel, canceled his engagements and went to the scene of the accident.
Investigation will determine the cause of the accident
At this moment, there is no information on the possible causes of the accident. An investigation has been announced to determine them.
Authorities are urging travelers to avoid the C-3 road in this section, as removing the effects of the accident may take several more hours.