A bus driver was arrested for drink driving following a lunchtime crash which left a 15 year old girl in a critical condition and 17 others in hospital.
The driver of the double decker 198 hit a car, another bus and a bus shelter at West Croydon Bus Station at 12.20pm today.
The girl, a passenger on the 198, was treated at the scene. An air ambulance landed but the teen was taken by land accompanied by a doctor from the helicopter.
Twenty injured were treated at the scene before 18 of them, including the girl, were taken to hospital with 17 of them having only minor injuries.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: “An investigation is underway following a collision involving a bus at West Croydon Bus Station.
“Police were called at approximately 12:20hrs on Sunday, 11 November to reports of the collision in Station Road, Croydon.
“At this early stage it is believed a route 198 double decker bus had been in collision with a car, another bus and a bus shelter at the location.
“Officers, London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance all attended the scene.
“A girl, believed aged 15 and a passenger on the route 198 bus, was treated at the scene for injuries before being taken to a south London hospital.
“She remains there in a critical condition. Her next of kin have been informed.
“A number of other people were treated at the scene for minor injuries.
“A man, the driver of the bus, has been arrested on suspicion of drink driving and remains in custody at a south London police station.”
Grahan Norton, Assistant Director of Operations at the London Ambulance Service added: “We sent a large number of staff to the scene.
“This included eight ambulance crews, a motorcycle paramedic, members of our Hazardous Area Response Team, a number of officers and London’s Air Ambulance.
“We treated a total of 20 people at the scene and 18 of these were then taken to hospital.
“They had mostly suffered minor injuries, but one patient was seriously injured and taken to hospital with the doctor from the air ambulance on board the ambulance.”
