A 15-year-old girl has been critically injured and 19 other people hurt after a double decker bus crashed into a bus shelter in south London.
The driver of the 198 Arriva double-decker bus was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs after the collision with a car and a single-decker bus at West Croydon bus station at about 12.20pm on Sunday.
London Ambulance Service said 18 people were taken to hospital.
Graham Norton, assistant director of operations at the ambulance service, said it sent “a large number of staff” to the scene, including eight ambulance crews, a motorcycle paramedic, a hazardous area response team, paramedics and London’s Air Ambulance.
“We treated a total of 20 patients at the scene, and 18 of these were then taken to hospital,” he said.
“They had mostly suffered minor injuries, but one patient was seriously injured.”
A Met Police spokesman said: “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.
“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 man – the driver of the bus – has been arrested on suspicion of drink driving and remains in custody at a south London police station.”
Steve Reed, MP for Croydon North, tweeted: “Hope and pray the young woman hit by a bus and others affected at Croydon bus station will be ok – horrific incident requires full investigation into how this could happen.”