Watch above: Two St. Albert families and their neighbours are shaken up after a bus careened through their backyards. Quinn Ohler speaks to the families.
EDMONTON — St. Albert RCMP said Thursday evening mechanical problems were not to blame in a collision involving a city bus Tuesday evening.
RCMP and the city of St. Albert continue to investigate what caused the transit bus to crash through two backyards around 6 p.m. Tuesday in the area of Heritage Drive and Haviland Crescent.
The bus — which didn’t have any passengers on board — collided with one home’s fence, shed, and empty trampoline. It then broke through a second fence and entered the neighbouring backyard, where it struck a deck before finally coming to a stop.
On Wednesday, Teresa Bieber — who has two children aged seven and nine — was still in shock that a bus went through her yard.
Luckily, the Biebers weren’t home. But their neighbours, who also have two children, were inside their house when their deck was struck by the bus. They weren’t hurt but RCMP say they were shaken up.
Area resident Laura Quinton heard the crash and was among those who rushed to help the bus driver before emergency crews even arrived.
“We came right out, my husband called 911 and the bus was already…inside here. Just rushed in, helped the driver, got him laying down and watched his breathing and stuff so he was okay.”
The bus driver suffered minor injuries. He was taken away in an ambulance and discharged from hospital Wednesday morning.
Extensive property damage aside, RCMP are grateful there weren’t any serious injuries.
“Overall, we’re lucky,” said Kading.
City staff say they’re confident St. Albert’s bus fleet is safe and passengers have nothing to worry about on their daily commute. They believe this was an isolated incident, but are still working to figure out what exactly happened.
RCMP said Thursday mechanical inspections of the bus were completed and the bus was in good mechanical repair at the time of the collision.
Anyone who saw the collision is asked to contact St. Albert RCMP at 780-458-7700.
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