Ten taken to hospital after bus crashes into tree in Manor Park

The W19 bus crashed into a tree in Manor Park. Picture: @RoseStephensArt via Twitter (Image: Archant)

Emergency services were called to Station Road at noon on Saturday after the single-decker W19 service to Walthamstow hit a tree outside Manor Park station.

Fire crews and police helped rescue 15 passengers, 12 of whom had non life-threatening injuries. Paramedics took 10 to hospital.

A man believed to be in his forties was treated for a head injury and a woman thought to be in her sixties was treated for hip pain, both at Royal London Hospital.

A further three were taken to the same hospital and five others were brought to Whipps Cross Hospital in Waltham Forest. Two more were treated at the scene.

Rose Stephens was taking photographs on the roof of Wanstead Flats when she saw the Air Ambulance trying to land and spotted the bus and a crowd of “dazed” passengers.

“It was pretty shocking, it looked like the firefighters might have been cutting out the side of the bus to free a passenger,” said the 52-year-old, who lives in Lorne Road, Forest Gate.

“I saw them all standing next to the bus, some were being treated.

“They looked really dazed, like they didn’t know what to do with themselves.

“There were lots of vehicles, police and many ambulances there, and the road was shut off.”

Police officers assisted London Fire Brigade with the closure of the A117 road in Forest Drive, which was shut from the time of the accident until it and re-opened at 5pm.

A spokesman from bus company Go Ahead said: “It is too early to identify a cause for this accident but we are currently assisting the police and the relevant authorities who are undertaking a thorough investigation. This will include the downloading of CCTV footage from the bus.”

No arrests have been made. Inquiries continue.