Dec. 25 (UPI) — A shuttle bus struck pedestrians in a crowded Moscow underpass on Monday, killing at least five, officials said.
At least 15 others were injured. The bus swerved off a road at high speed and rolled down steps leading to a tunnel as pedestrians hurried out of its way. The tunnel’s ceiling stopped the bus.
The incident occurred near Moscow’s Slavyansky Boulevard metro station on Monday afternoon. The driver reported a brake failure, making the bus unable to stop, the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation said. The driver was detained, and a criminal case was immediately opened. The three passengers aboard the bus were not injured, although the windows and roof of the bus were damaged.
Several people injured were taken to hospitals by helicopter, and a crane was used to extricate the bus. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that two of those hospitalized are in critical condition.
Monday was an ordinary working day in Moscow. Russians celebrate Orthodox Christmas on Jan. 7.
