A bus with license plate number 8B-3388, en route to Panamá Viejo and packed full of about 60 passengers, flipped over in front of the Santo Tomas hospital, leaving 58 injured, one seriously. The injured were taken to the Santo Tomas hospital and the Social Security hospital for medical care. Immediately after the accident happened, ambulances from the 911 system, police and fire units descended on the scene to attend to the wounded. (In this early report) the exact number of people injured and the severity of their wounds is unknown, and some people remain trapped in the bus. According to unofficial information, the bus driver, identified as 20 year-old Elvis Eliécer Guerra, was driving at excessive speed which apparently caused the accident. Panama City Mayor Bosco Vallarino, who arrived at the scene, said the full weight of the law should be applied to both the driver and the owner of the bus, and they should both go to jail. The National Police director Gustavo Perez - who witnessed the accident - confirmed that the driver was racing with another bus that fled the scene. Firefighters and rescue workers are still working to free one of the passengers who remains trapped between the bus and the pavement with a serious injury to one arm. (Source: Panama America)

 

 

Read more...