EIGHT disabled Border residents escaped serious injury after the bus carrying them home from work crashed in Albury last night.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The terrified passengers were pulled from the overturned bus by witnesses who had to cut their seat belts to free them.
Aware Industries general manager Sharon Muggivan said the employees, aged from 25 to 45, were in shock but doing well.
“It’s a huge shock for everyone, it’s definitely upsetting, especially since the bus rolled,” Ms Muggivan said.
“But some of them were actually concerned about not being able to work, some of them are desperate to get back but we’re saying take the day off to look after yourselves.
“I think out of the eight I’d be very surprised if even half of them take the day off.
“They’re very lucky to be alive thanks to seat belts on the bus, they could have been a lot worse off.”
The bus, a 24-seater Mitsubishi, had just dropped off another employee when the accident happened about 5pm.
Insp Tony Moodie, of Albury police, said the bus went through a give way sign at the corner of Electra Street and Borella Road and collided with a Toyota Landcruiser travelling east on Borella Road.
“The bus flipped onto its side and slid some 15 or 20 metres before coming to rest in Electra Street,” Insp Moodie said.
Police interviewed the driver of the bus, a 65-year-old Lavington man, and the driver of the Landcruiser, who was uninjured.
Inquiries are continuing.
The bus passengers were taken to Albury Base Hospital but were released late last night after treatment for minor injuries.
One East Albury resident, who declined to be named, said how he helped free the passengers.
“They couldn’t get themselves out at all, the passengers on the bottom had people on top of them,” he said.
“I grabbed a knife from our house and cut the seat belts.
“You couldn’t get your hand under to the clips because of their body weight.
“Even though they might be injured I thought the only thing to do was drag them out in case the thing caught on fire.”
Little India on Borella chefs Arun Bukka and Nair Kumar also rushed to help after hearing an “almighty crash”.
“One man was bleeding and I helped pull him out,” Mr Bukka said.
Martin’s Albury owner David Martin said his company had picked up and dropped off Aware workers since 1989.
“It will certainly be investigated by us and the office of transport safety investigators,” he said.
