Hong Kong police probe deadly bus accident

HONG KONG (AFP) – Hong Kong police said Sunday they were investigating a deadly bus accident that left 19 people dead and scores more injured, with the bus driver arrested for dangerous driving.

The double-decker bus over- turned Saturday evening near the town of Tai Po in the northern New Territories, flipping onto its side and appearing to smash into a lamppost.

Nineteen people were killed and 65 people were injured, some critically, according to local police.

‘’The 30-year old male bus driver was arrested for dangerous driving causing death and dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm. He is still being detained for further inquiries,’’ police said in a statement early Sunday.

Most of the injured and some of the dead were on the upper deck of the bus, Chan Hing-yu of the fire department told reporters.

The driver was suspected of being over the speed limit as he went down a slope and lost control of the vehicle, senior traffic superintendent Lee Chi-wai told reporters.

He was not in need of any medical treatment after the crash and was found to be sober, he added.

The accident has reignited a debate over working conditions for the city’s bus drivers.

The vehicle was managed by the Kowloon Motor Bus Company, one of the main bus operators in Hong Kong.

“The industry wages of drivers have lagged behind inflation for many years... as a result, the number of drivers working extra shifts and part-time have increased,’’ said lawmaker Luk Chung-hung, who also questioned whether the company was paying enough attention to safety.