Malolos City—Eight persons were confirmed dead and at least eight others injured after a Manila-bound bus hit an SUV and crossed into the northbound side of the North Luzon Expressway and flipped on its side.
The passenger bus, Del Carmen Transit with plate AGA 8610 owned by BuenaSher Transport, was carrying some 30 passengers when the accident happened along Torres Bugallon, Valenzuela City just after the Smart Connect flyover.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board immediately ordered the suspension of the bus operator, with the suspension covering the operator’s 19 units plying the Cubao-Sta. Maria, Bulacan route via NLEX.
“The SUV and bus were both southbound, then allegedly the bus hit the rear of the SUV, reason the SUV was thrown off and the bus turned turtle and faced north,” Sr. Supt. Carlito Gaces, chief of Valenzuela police, in a mixture of Tagalog and English told mediamen shortly after the mishap.
Gaces added, quoting the SUV driver, the rains were heavy, fact was visibility was zero.
The casualties were brought to the funeral parlors, but police have yet to determine their identity.
Some of injured passengers were rushed by several ambulances of NLEX Rescue Team and National Red Cross to the MCU Hospital, Valenzuela General Hospital and at least two others at the Rogaciano Mercado district hospital in Sta. Maria, Bulacan.
An official of the bus company summoned by police has vowed to shoulder the expenses of the victims.
The accident created monstrous traffic jam near the Balintawak entry plaza late Friday evening, aggravated by heavy downpour on both directions of the NLEX.
NLEX Corp. said that motorists were being diverted to the Mindanao Exit due to the traffic jam near the area hours after the accident.