OLD GOA: Nine passengers were injured after an inter-state bus traveling from Bangalore to Mapusa fell on its side on the Agassaim side of the new Zuari bridge on Thursday morning.
Passengers and passers-by reacted sharply over the delay by the ambulance and police in reaching the site.
The bus accident
According to the information available, the bus was traveling at a high speed at the time of the incident and on reaching the Agassaim side of the Zuari bridge, the driver lost control and hit the divider before toppling on its side at around 7 a.m.
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Fr Franky Fernandes, a Capuchin priest who was one of the first persons to reach the accident site, said ,that he along with other passers-by helped the passengers get out of the fallen bus.
“Two passengers who were stuck inside the bus were taken out by a person with the help of a car jack,” Fr Fernandes said, while adding that he called the ambulance services but for over half an hour nobody responded.
“The accident occurred at around 7 am and till 7.36 nobody arrived at the site. Some injured passengers were shifted to the GMC by passers-by on their two-wheelers and four-wheelers,” the priest informed while adding that the ambulance only arrived after 7.36 a.m.
Most passengers discharged after being treated at hospitals
“Most of the injured passengers were discharged from the hospital after treatment,” Fr Fernandes added. One of the passengers, C Ramesh, expressed disappointment over the lethargic attitude of the authorities concerned in responding to the situation.
“The accident occurred at around 7 am and then a citizen came to our rescue. He also called the ambulance but it did not arrive till around 7.40 am. Even the police came very late at around 7.45 am,” said Ramesh, while adding that the bus driver was driving in a rash manner from the very start of the journey.
“My friend had a head injury and he was lying unattended for around half an hour, which should not be the case,” Ramesh stated and he hoped that there is quick response in such situations in the future.
