Devastating bus crash in Szolnok leaves many severely injured – photos, videos, updated

One of the most devastating bus crashes in Hungary’s traffic history occurred this morning in Szolnok, when a local bus collided with the wall of the Varga Katalin Grammar School. The impact caused the wall to cave in, the front of the bus to be completely destroyed, and numerous people to be injured, many of whom are in a critical condition.

Local bus collides with school wall

The bus crashed into the school wall but, fortunately, caused no injuries inside the classroom because there was no class at the time of the accident. The school itself did not need to be closed; only the damaged classroom was secured with a lock. A large crowd of concerned parents, students, teachers, and local residents gathered at the scene. Police had to disperse part of the crowd to avoid disrupting the rescue operations.

Most of those on the bus did not escape unscathed. According to a local report from szoljon.hu, the accident resulted in at least 30 minor injuries and four serious ones. Emergency response teams, including two helicopter ambulance services, have already arrived and are transporting the injured to nearby hospitals.

Police launches investigation

Disaster relief and rescue services are working tirelessly. The bus has been disconnected from its power supply, and a fallen tree knocked over by the impact has been removed by the official Szolnok fire brigade. The county disaster management team is also on site.

The rescue helicopter takes off with the severely injured victims of the accident:

Several people are reportedly bleeding heavily and receiving continuous care from the attending emergency crews.

Authorities have not yet released details regarding the cause or circumstances of the crash. Updates will follow as more information becomes available.

According to the Hungarian News Agency, Az MTI szerint a Szolnoki Rendőrkapitányságthe police department of Szolnok has launched an investigation for negligent causing of a road traffic accident that resulted in a mass casualty event. According to the police, just before 8 o’clock, a local bus travelling from Szandaszőlős towards the city centre of Szolnok, under circumstances not yet clarified, veered off the Tisza bridge and collided with the wall of Varga Katalin Grammar School at the roundabout.

Update 1: fortunately fewer injured

Mayor Mihály Györfi shared more details with Blikk late this morning. He reported that there are 22 people with minor injuries and one seriously injured in the accident, but no one was in a life-threatening condition. As a result, the rescue helicopters did not transport anyone to hospital.

The impact speed was significantly reduced by the bus crashing into a tree. The police are now investigating whether the bus driver made an error or if a mechanical fault caused the vehicle to veer off the road. According to the mayor, a structural engineer was sent to the school within minutes and confirmed that the building is safe, so evacuation was unnecessary.

The headteacher confirmed that no one was hurt inside the school. Due to the accident, no delays in lessons will be recorded today.

Update 2: Minister János Lázár reveals cause of the accident, promises compensation

This afternoon, János Lázár, the Minister for Construction and Transport, shared in a public post that the accident was caused by the driver, who veered off the road after the Tisza bridge due to a sudden loss of consciousness and collided with the school building’s wall. The minister added that the accident resulted in 18 minor injuries and 5 more serious ones, mostly bone fractures.

He emphasised, “Among those with injuries expected to heal within eight days, unfortunately, there are five children. Among the injuries requiring longer recovery, there is an elderly lady being treated for a spinal injury. She is the most severely injured in the accident.”

Following the incident, the minister ordered the MÁV Group to provide compensation on compassionate grounds to the affected passengers.

Severe bus accidents in Hungary

The Szolnok incident ranks among the most serious bus accidents in Hungarian history. In 2003, a deadly crash occurred in Siófok, when a bus carrying German tourists crossed the railway lines despite a stop signal. A train struck the bus directly, resulting in 33 fatalities and six serious injuries. Even more tragic was a crash near Pörböly, where a train hit a school bus, killing 11 children and the bus driver.

• VIDEO: Horrific train-bus collision claims dozens of German lives, Hungarian train conductor shares harrowing account
• Serious bus crash in Hungary injures 19, including children

Click for more articles concerning accidents in Hungary.