Those living near Rochdale Road are used to the constant rumble of traffic noise. But at around 8.30am this morning (Saturday), their ears were pierced by an almighty bang. Straight away, they knew that 'something wasn't right.'
Two double-decker buses had been involved in a horrifying crash. One had 'gone into the other', shunting it into metal fencing at the perimeter of a large open-air car park in Collyhurst, close to the city centre. The front of one was left completely mangled.
At least one person on the upper deck of one of the buses was left trapped and needed to be rescued by firefighters. At least 17 people were injured and taken to hospital. Thankfully none of their injuries are believed to be serious.
READ MORE: Twisted metal, broken glass, and the 'loudest bang ever' as chaos descends on Rochdale Road
Locals have now spoken of scenes of fear and panic as emergency services flooded the area, including the air ambulance landing on the car park. "I looked out the window and it had just happened," said Rob Elmer, 31, whose house faces the scene.
"Other cars had stopped and some police cars were starting to arrive. They got here really quick and closed the road off quickly. There were at least six or seven ambulances. And a couple of fire engines turned up as well. It was hard to work out exactly what was going on from where we are.
"I think someone at the front of the back bus injured their leg. And I think some people had back injuries. They got taken away by ambulance.
"There were so many emergency service vehicles. And then when the air ambulance landed we thought there must be life-threatening injuries. It was very worrying. Thankfully that wasn't needed."
One of Rob's neighbours, who did not want to be named, said: "I looked out and I saw the helicopter. There were so many blue lights it was like Blackpool. It was really scary. I'm just relieved no one's been seriously hurt But I think it's really shaken everyone up, particularly everyone that was on those buses."
Another said: "I knew something wasn't right so I looked out, and there must have been at least 12 or 13 ambulances, I have never seen anything like it."
Councillor Pat Karney, ward councillor for the area who came to see what had happened first-hand, was also left stunned. He said: “I use those buses regularly down Rochdale Road so I’m just shocked to see the incredible damage. I have never seen a bus damaged so much. I hope the drivers are okay.
“I did see some people taken away by ambulance. People will be traumatised who were on those buses. Obviously we need to have an inquiry into what’s happened and learn the lessons.”
Rochdale Road was closed for over three hours as emergency services dealt with the aftermath of the smash. After the ambulances and paramedic vehicles had taken the injured to North Manchester General Hospital, police continued to block the road to traffic and pedestrians.
A convoy of recovery vehicles arrived and began the process of winching the buses which were mangled together apart. The extent of the damage to the rear of the two buses made this particularly difficult. The road was littered with broken glass and debris from the two buses.
Workers swept it up and shovelled into the buses, which were jacked up onto huge recovery trucks. Whilst a bus stop pillar sign, which was felled during the crash, and two huge panes of the glass from one of the buses, were loaded onto another truck. It was past 11.30am when police left the scene and reopened it to traffic.
The only evidence of what had happened was the hole in the ground where the bus stop sign had been, and a few shards of broken glass in the road.
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said: “At around 8.45am this morning (Saturday 9 November), two fire engines from Phillips Park and Broughton fire stations were called to a crash involving two buses on Rochdale Road, Manchester.
“Crews arrived quickly and worked with Greater Manchester Police and North West Ambulance Service to make the area safe. Firefighters extricated one person from the upper deck of the bus and13 casualties were transferred to North Manchester General Hospital under the care of North West Ambulance Service. Fire crews were in attendance for just over an hour."
A Greater Manchester Police (GMP) spokesperson said: "At 8.30am this morning we were called to reports of a road traffic collision between two buses on Rochdale Road, Manchester. No serious injuries have been reported."
TfGM’s Director of Bus, Stephen Rhodes, told the M.E.N: “This morning at around 8.30am there was a collision involving two Bee Network buses in Manchester near the junction of Rochdale Road and Livesey Street. We are liaising with emergency services and want to wish any passengers who have been injured a speedy recovery."
