Essen: Car crashes into Ruhrbahn bus at Oktoberfest ++ many injured ++ intersection closed for hours

What happened?

At the height of the evening rush hour, a car crashed into a Ruhrbahn bus in Essen on Thursday evening. The bus was carrying around 50 passengers on their way to the Oktoberfest on the Schützenplatz. According to initial findings, the 76-year-old driver of the car had ignored a red light at the intersection of Alfredstraße and Steeler Straße. The impact of the collision threw the bus off course, causing it to crash into a traffic light and come to a stop on the sidewalk.

How serious is the situation?

According to initial information from the police, around 20 people were injured in the accident. Four of the injured had to be taken to hospital. How severe their injuries are is still unclear. The 76-year-old car driver was also injured and taken to a hospital.

What are the consequences?

Due to the accident, the intersection of Alfredstraße and Steeler Straße had to be completely closed for several hours. The police diverted the traffic. The bus passengers were able to continue their journey to the Oktoberfest with a replacement bus. According to the police, the damage to the bus and the car is considerable.

What is the current situation?

The intersection of Alfredstraße and Steeler Straße has been reopened to traffic since around 9 pm. The police are investigating the cause of the accident.