LONDON -- Passengers aboard a bus in Holborn, central London, got quite a shock on Monday afternoon when the roof of their double-decker was sliced off after hitting a tree.
Emergency services were attending the scene shortly after 1 p.m. local time, and two people were reported to have suffered minor injuries.
The number 91 bus, which was headed for Trafalgar Square, was travelling along Kingsway when the incident took place. The lane where it was travelling had a warning sign about overhanging trees, with a height limit of 2.5 metres (8.3 feet), the bus involved is 4.4 metres.
Metroline, which operates the buses on the route, told Mashable an investigation has been launched.
There was traffic gridlock in the area as eyewitnesses captured the unusual event.
Current situation on Kingsway, Holborn. @BBCNews pic.twitter.com/4G3voOir5B— Aryelle Hendricks✌ (@AryEllaElla89) February 2, 2015
This is just too unreal. The bus just hit the tree on Kingsway and the roof totally ripped off. pic.twitter.com/tZCvdZB6sx— Anton Spisak (@AntonSpisak) February 2, 2015
This video captures the extent of the damage:
This photo, taken by a member of the emergency services, gives another view:
Kingsway #Holborn: We remain on scene assessing a number of patients involved in the Bus RTC pic.twitter.com/hdL536sLwf— ChrisHawkswell, EP07 (@LAS_TacAdvisor) February 2, 2015
Here's what the scene looked like from above:
Bloody hell, there still people sat on it! pic.twitter.com/pj804yoG5z— Nic Stevenson (@nicstevenson) February 2, 2015
Latest on the Kingsway pic.twitter.com/NGS85MVtJO— Nic Stevenson (@nicstevenson) February 2, 2015
Other buses were also disrupted:
Routes 59, 68, 91, 168, 188, 243, 521 and X68 are subject to diversion and delays at Kingsway, WC2 due to a road traffic collision.— TfL Bus Alerts (@TfLBusAlerts) February 2, 2015