Nineteen people were injured when two buses collided Friday morning on Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City.
Traffic investigator Senior Police Officer 1 Gary Talacay said the mishap involved a Jayross Lucky 7 bus, with license plate TXR-476 and a Prado bus, bearing license plate TXR-476.
The collision happened at 6:30 a.m. on the westbound lane in front of the UP-Ayala Techno Hub in Barangay Old Capitol Site, Diliman.
All of the victims, including a 12-year-old girl, were passengers of the Prado bus driven by Junrey Nuñez, 34.
Nuñez said his brakes apparently failed, after which the bus he was driving hit the rear of a Jayross Lucky 7 bus which was standing still in front of him.
The front right side of the Prado bus hit the rear left end of the other bus as Nuñez made an effort to avoid a direct hit.
Gregorio de Jesus, 42, driver of the Jayross Lucky 7 bus, said he pulled over because a jeepney in front of his vehicle had let off a fish vendor carrying two pails of fish.
De Jesus said he was motioning to the fish vendor to go ahead and pass when his bus got hit from behind.
Because of the impact, the Jayross Lucky 7 bus slightly hit the fish vendor and his wares that spilled on the road .
Rescuers of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority rushed the injured to the East Avenue Medical Center.
Nuñez was not hurt in the incident.