SUCH A TRAGEDY

Father and daughter killed in crash

THE deaths of a 42-year-old man and his two-year-old daughter in a horror road accident with a bus at Blackmans Bay yesterday morning have left the Kingborough community reeling.

A TRAGIC peak-hour crash has claimed the lives of a 42-year-old Huntingfield father and his twoyear-old daughter in an incident described as “a traumatic scene” that will “shake the whole community”.

The two-vehicle collision on Algona Rd, 900m south of the fork-in-theroad roundabout at Kingston, happened at 8.40am on Thursday when a bus and a black sedan collided head-on.

The driver of the white 1998 Hino passenger bus, a 68-year-old-woman from Blackmans Bay, was the sole occupant and was taken to Royal Hobart hospital with non-lifethreatening injuries. The two occupants of the black Lexus sedan were killed.

Traffic was stopped soon after the incident and the road remained closed until just before 6pm.

Kingston Police Inspector Jason Elmer said members of the public rushed to help.

“It’s a traumatic scene, for people to come forward and help, we really appreciate the assistance that was provided,” he said.

“It’s incredibly difficult for emergency services people who turn up and have to deal with these scenes and members of the public who turn up to these scenes.”

Two other vehicles were caught up in the collision but their occupants were not badly injured.

“The driver of the bus was taken through to the Royal Hobart Hospital with non life-threatening injuries and a female driver of one of the other vehicles was also taken for assessment,” Insp Elmer said.

A statement from Tasmania Police last night detailing the initial investigations of the incident suggested the bus applied its brakes in the northbound lane.

“Steering input and the camber (slope) of the road has caused the bus to rotate clockwise with the front of the bus crossing into the southbound lane where the impact has occurred,” the statement read.

Acting Sergeant Adam Hall at Southern Crash Investigation Services said excessive speed, alcohol or drugs did not appear to be contributing circumstances. “Investigations are continuing as to why the impact between the two vehicles has occurred,” he said.

Crash investigation police used a drone to recreate the accident.

Kingborough Mayor Dean Winter issued his heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of those involved.

“This will shake the whole Blackmans Bay and broader Kingborough community,” he said.

“It is hard to imagine what the extended family and friends will be going through.

“Our thoughts are with everyone involved.”