Bus Crashes and Burns in New Taipei City
A municipal bus crashed into a building in Xinzhuang District and caught fire early this morning after the driver lost consciousness at the wheel. Fortunately, the bus was not carrying passengers at the time.
According to Liberty Times Network, at around 5:00am, the 41 year-old driver fainted while stopped at an intersection and his foot hit the accelerator. The bus traveled for around 40 meters before crashing into the building.
After crashing, the driver’s foot appears to have remained stuck on the accelerator pedal, causing the bus wheels to spin. The friction of the spinning wheels is believed to have ignited leaking fuel.
Firefighters pulled the unconscious driver out of the vehicle and extinguished the flames. The driver suffered 3rd degree burns to 9% and 2nd degree burns to 12% of his body, and is currently being treated at Far East Memorial Hospital.
United Daily News reported that police spoke to the driver’s family and found out that the man had recently returned to work after suffering a brain injury in a serious car accident. After a long period of recuperation after brain surgery, Mr He (何) had been given medical clearance to drive again last month, September, 2017.
Family members said that Mr He had gone to bed at 9:00pm last night, ruling out fatigue as a factor in the accident. The bus company said that all drivers were alcohol tested before starting their shifts.
Related Video
Taiwan English News is an independent publication with no corporate funding. If you found this article informative, and would like to support my work, please buy me a coffee or support me on Patreon. Subscribe to Taiwan English News for free to receive the latest news via email. Advertising queries are welcome. Share, like, comment below.