11 hurt as bus plows through 8 vehicles in QC’s ‘killer highway’
ROSELLE FORTES-LEUNG/contributed photo
MANILA, Philippines—At least 11 were injured when a passenger bus lost its brakes and plowed through seven vehicles along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City Saturday noon.
Mayamy Transport bus rammed into the center island of the major thoroughfare, also known as the “killer highway,” damaging its grills and blocking the opposite lane going to Batasan Road.
Police Officer 2 Allan Florendo, of the Quezon City Police Traffic Sector 5, told INQUIRER.net over the phone that the bus going to Regalado lost control and crashed into the vehicles.
Florendo said the Mayamy Transport bus, bearing the plate number TXW 386, came from the Elliptical Road.
The bus driver and conductor fled from the scene, according to the passengers of a UV Express, one of the seven vehicles in the accident.
The rider of a motorcycle involved in the multiple collision was said to be in critical condition.
Most victims were rushed to East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City but Florendo said, some sought treatment in other nearby hospitals.
He added that authorities have brought the bus to the impounding area.
Commonwealth Avenue has been the scene of many accidents, including one that claimed the life of journalist Lourdes “Chit” Estella in May 2011.
In 2010, Metro Manila Development Authority showed that at least 21 lives were claimed in the highway while 608 others were injured in more than 2,000 accidents that took place along Commonwealth Avenue.
The following year, the MMDA implemented a 60–kilometer per hour speed limit on Commonwealth Avenue to reduce the possibility of accidents in addition to setting aside two lanes for passenger buses.
It also deployed several traffic enforcers to the area equipped with radar speed guns.
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