Five people injured

Bus crashed into bridge railing

The HFW Villach, ambulance and emergency doctor as well as the RK1 rescue helicopter team were deployed.

(Bild: HFW Villach)

A Villach city bus crashed into a bridge railing at a traffic circle early on Monday morning. Five people were injured. The cause of the accident is still unclear; a medical emergency is in the offing.

Shortly after 9 a.m. on Monday, the Villach emergency services were called to an accident. A city bus had crossed into the oncoming lane and onto the sidewalk several times in Schächtestraße, striking a traffic sign, a bus stop, a truck, a lamppost and the road railing. At a traffic circle in the Warmbad area, the bus crashed into the bridge railing and the ÖBB noise barrier.

Operating fluids escaped during the accident - the fire department had to bind them (see red sand).

(Bild: Thomas Künster)

"As one axle of the bus was overhanging the bridge, the vehicle was immediately secured and preparations were made to rescue the passengers," says Harald Geissler, commander of the Villach main fire station.

Three injured people were able to leave the bus on their own; two others, including the bus driver (60), received first aid at the scene of the accident and were taken to Villach Regional Hospital. Parts of the noise barrier had fallen onto the tracks under the bridge - and were quickly removed. A private recovery company was able to lift the bus off the bridge.

Due to the landing of the RK1 rescue helicopter, traffic was diverted over a large area.

A medical problem of the driver could have caused the accident; this is still being investigated.