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International desk: Four people were killed Monday when a Moscow bus ploughed into a pedestrian underpass in the west of the city, officials said.<\/p>\nInternational desk: Four people were killed Monday when a Moscow bus ploughed into a pedestrian underpass in the west of the city, officials said.<\/p>\n
It was not immediately clear what caused the accident as authorities said they were looking into several possibilities, including a technical malfunction.<\/p>\n
Authorities did not mention terrorism as a possible cause.<\/p>\n
“Nine people are currently in the city's clinics… four people died on the spot,” the Moscow city hall said in a statement on the website.<\/p>\n
Police were also giving the figure of four killed, revised down from previous statements which said the accident caused five deaths.<\/p>\n
Footage broadcast on national television showed the bus driving onto the pavement and then down the stairs of the underpass, running over several pedestrians before coming to a stop.<\/p>\n
Moscow police said in a statement they were looking into two possible causes — the driver losing control of the vehicle and a technical problem with the bus.<\/p>\n
“The driver of the bus began movement and then changed his trajectory, which resulted in the bus going down into the pedestrian underpass,” the statement said.<\/p>\n
“The driver has been detained. Police employees are working with him,” the statement said.<\/p>\n
“According to the driver, the bus was parked and suddenly began to move by itself,” said a statement by the Russian Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes.<\/p>\n
“Despite his attempts to stop the bus, the breaking system did not work and the bus continued moving,” it said.<\/p>\n
Investigators said they were questioning witnesses and plan to examine vehicle documentation and order medical examination of the driver.<\/p>\n
The accident happened around 3 pm (1200 GMT) near Moscow's Slavyansky Boulevard metro station, a prestigious residential area near one of the capital's main avenues.<\/p>\n
Sirens were blaring around the metro station, with authorities preparing to pull the bus out of the underpass, an AFP correspondent at the scene said.<\/p>\n
The underpass and surrounding area were cordoned off and several black body bags could be seen on the pavement, partially covered with falling snow.<\/p>\n
The emergencies ministry said helicopters had been dispatched to the scene to help evacuate the victims.<\/p>\n
“There are dead and wounded,” tweeted Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin. “We are providing emergency aid,” he said, offering condolences to families of the victims.<\/p>\n
Sobyanin also visited the scene, telling journalists he had ordered a full inspection of the entire Moscow bus fleet.AFP.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
International desk: Four people were killed Monday when a Moscow bus ploughed into a pedestrian underpass in the west of the city, officials said. It was not immediately clear what caused the accident as authorities said they were looking into several possibilities, including a technical malfunction. Authorities did not mention terrorism as a possible cause. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":39481,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2,14],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n