Forty injured in a coach accident carrying seasonal workers in Lleida
The vehicle has crashed against the facade of a building on Ferran boulevard shortly after leaving the station
LleidaFerran's boulevard in Lleida has become this Wednesday the scene of one of the most serious traffic accidents ever remembered in the city. A bus with 55 passengers, which covered the route between Lleida and La Granja d'Escarp, lost control shortly before a quarter to eight in the morning and ended up crashing against the facade of the Diputació de Lleida for reasons that are still being investigated.
Most of the passengers were fruit campaign workers who were heading to agricultural farms in Soses, Aitona, Seròs, and La Granja d'Escarp. Despite the violence of the crash, no pedestrians were run over. The toll is 44 injured. According to the Department of Health's report, 21 people had to be transferred to the Arnau de Vilanova Hospital. Of these, five people underwent emergency surgery and five more were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of the hospital. The mayor of Lleida, Fèlix Larrosa, explained in the evening that all surgical interventions have finished and that four people remain in the ICU, but that "all are evolving favorably".
The rest of the injured, who have injuries of varying severity, from an amputation of a lower limb to fractures, injuries, and cranial, abdominal, and thoracic trauma, will be hospitalized on the ward when convenient. For their part, the Lleida Primary Care Emergency Center has treated 21 more people with various minor contusions, 20 of whom have already been discharged.
Larrosa explained that two people walking on Ferran's boulevard avoided the impact "by centimeters", a fact that prevented an even greater tragedy. Partly also because the accident occurred during an hour when pedestrian traffic was still reduced. A few minutes later, the boulevard is usually one of the main crossing points for workers, students, and public transport users.
The mayor described the accident as "the most serious accident experienced in the city" and highlighted the collective response that occurred from the first moments. The mayor thanked the work of the emergency services, but also the involvement of neighbors and local business owners, who collaborated by bringing water, blankets, and clothing to attend to the passengers while the medical teams arrived.
Regarding the causes of the accident, the mayor has indicated that the initial information points to a possible loss of control of the vehicle, although he insisted that the investigation remains open. The accident was recorded by a municipal traffic camera, images that will be crucial in reconstructing the events.
The 36-year-old bus driver did not suffer physical injuries, but had to be treated for an anxiety attack. She had recently joined the concessionaire company and was driving with the assistance of a second driver, who is one of the people who were injured, very seriously. The driver's alcohol and drug test results were negative, according to sources consulted by this newspaper.
Loss of control
The head of the Lleida Emergency Region of the Firefighters, Joan Josep Bellostas, has asked for caution regarding any hypothesis. "It is very early" to determine what caused the accident, he stated, recalling that there are images of the incident and that the Mossos d'Esquadra and the Guardia Urbana will be responsible for clarifying the causes. However, he pointed out that, "apparently", everything would point to a loss of control of the vehicle.
The high number of victims has forced the deployment of a large emergency device. The Medical Emergency System (SEM) has activated eleven ground units, a medicalized helicopter, and a team of psychologists specialized in victim care. The Firefighters have mobilized about thirty personnel with fourteen units, while elements of the Guardia Urbana, the Mossos d'Esquadra, Civil Protection, and other emergency services have also intervened. The Generalitat has activated the Procicat Plan in alert phase to coordinate the response to the accident. For hours, Rambla de Ferran remained completely closed to traffic to facilitate rescue, evacuation, and investigation efforts.
From Barcelona, the president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, has contacted the mayor of Lleida to follow the evolution of events. In a message disseminated on social networks, he expressed his support for the affected people and their families, wished a speedy recovery to the injured, and thanked the work of the emergency service professionals who intervened in one of the most difficult days the capital of Segrià has experienced in recent years.
