A passenger bus swerved off course and drove into a busy pedestrian underpass in Moscow on Monday (December 25), killing at least four people, Russian news agencies reported.
The driver of the bus had been detained by police, agencies said, after he lost control of the vehicle. The incident occurred on one of the Russian capital's busiest roads near the Slavyansky Boulevard metro station.
Monday was an ordinary working day in Russia where Orthodox Christmas will be celebrated on Jan. 7.
An unnamed emergency services source told the TASS news agency that the number of fatalities had risen to five people. There were also unconfirmed reports that some 15 people had been injured.
The Interfax news agency said investigators were looking into whether the incident had occurred as a result of a technical fault with the bus.
Ten ambulances, fire service personnel, and three medic helicopters were on the scene, agencies reported.
Пятый канал публикует видео жуткой аварии в Москве, где автобус протаранил толпу людей. По предварительным данным, пострадали около 15 человек: https://t.co/sRXRH6a2ZT Число погибших в аварии с автобусом в Москве достигло четырёх человек: https://t.co/rz0FTbbsRC#дтп #Москва pic.twitter.com/I26caE0vwl — Пятый канал Новости (@5tv) December 25, 2017
Пятый канал публикует видео жуткой аварии в Москве, где автобус протаранил толпу людей. По предварительным данным, пострадали около 15 человек: https://t.co/sRXRH6a2ZT Число погибших в аварии с автобусом в Москве достигло четырёх человек: https://t.co/rz0FTbbsRC#дтп #Москва pic.twitter.com/I26caE0vwl