20 hurt as Tel Aviv bus crashes into museum

Some twenty bus passengers were hurt Tuesday when a bus veered off the road, hit a fire hydrant and crashed into a fence surrounding the Eretz Israel Museum in northern Tel Aviv.

Magen David Adom ambulance service said two people sustained moderate wounds while the other 18 were lightly injured.

Eyewitnesses said the driver had apparently lost control of the bus while making a turn, hit a car and dragged it with it as it broke through the fence and into the museum area.

After the crash (Photo: Attila Somfalvi)

Magen David Adom emergency teams were rushed to the scene. Police are investigating the circumstances of the accident.

"The bus apparently missed a turn and went straight into the pavement. It was literally on the museum's fence and a huge stream of water came showering from the hydrant, like a fountain," an eyewitness said.

Evacuating the wounded from the scene (Photo: Mati Almaliach)

"I was in my car going north on Namir Road, in front of the museum," another eyewitness said. "I was standing at a red light getting ready to turn left when suddenly I saw a bus – his gas pedal must have gotten stuck – turning on Namir and crashing into the museum's wall."

He added that the bus "crossed its entire lane into our lane, dragged a car that was standing in front, and crashed".

The Dan bus company issued a statement apologizing for the incident and wishing the wounded a speedy recovery. "Of course the incident is being investigated by the police. Our technicians are also on the scene," the statement said.

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