Double decker bus roof ripped off in railway bridge crash
The roof of a double decker bus was ripped off when it crashed into a railway bridge in Hampshire on Monday - the second such incident at the same bridge in five months.
The collision severed the entire top section as the bus tried to travel underneath the tracks near Portchester Railway Station, Hants.
An identical incident happened in September 2012 when another double decker, owned by the same company, crashed into the bridge.
The bus collided with the bridge at 9.40am, and, like the last incident, the driver was the only person on board at the time, as the bus was out of service. The 45-year-old was treated for shock at the scene.
A Hampshire Police spokesperson told the Daily Mail: "Police and fire crews attended the scene to help the driver and shut Station Road in Portchester.
"British Rail Maintenance are also doing their best to help the situation, and work will be done immediately to make sure the bridge is safe."
A crane was used to remove the top of the bus from the bridge, and 15 firefighters were called to the scene.
Locals and the bus company, First Group, are uncertain as to what exactly caused the crash. However, the Mail reports that the bridge is signed as being 3.6 metres high, while a double decker bus measures 4 metres.
A spokeswoman for First Group told the BBC: "We are as concerned by this incident as we suspect other local people will be.
"The exact cause of it is being investigated and the appropriate action will be taken as a result. It is too early to speculate as to what the outcome of the investigation will be.
"In relation to the previous incident, the cause of that was determined to be human error and the appropriate action was taken as a result."
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