An Australian mother is counting her blessings after a bus full of passengers crashed into her home while the family was thankfully out. The bus collided with her house on Aplin Road in Bonnyrigg Heights, located in Sydney’s southwest, at approximately 9:50 am on Feb. 4. The impact caused the front section of the house to collapse, according to police reports, per 9 News.
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The bus driver, believed to be in his 50s, received treatment from paramedics at the scene for minor injuries before being transported to Liverpool Hospital as a precaution. According to police, none of the bus passengers were injured.
Fayruz Sebo revealed that her children, who would typically have been home at the time of the incident, were fortunately safe as they were attending their first day of school.
“Thank God that they’re all at school,” Sebo told Australia’s ABC.
“We just went [to a] normal day of work and the kids went to school so I just dropped them at school … and I wasn’t expecting anything like that,” she added.
She said the crash caused serious damage to the garage, living room, and kids’ room.
A Neighbor Rushes to Aid Passengers After Bus Crashes into Home
Neighbor Ziad Hilayel recounted being in his garage when he noticed the bus speeding down the road. He described the sound of the crash as resembling an explosion, like a “bomb.”
“It sounded like a bomb,” he told 9 News.
Acting quickly, Hilayel rushed into Sebo’s house to check if anyone had been hurt.
“I ran into the house to see if anyone was home,” he told the outlet. “No one was in there, thank God,” he added.
Hilayel explained that he managed to unjam the bus door, allowing the passengers to exit safely.
“They were all sitting in the back, they were shocked,” he told ABC.
“I opened the door because the door was jammed and then they came out. They just wanted to get out of there,” he explained.
Superintendent Adam Dewberry of NSW Fire and Rescue reported that crews were dispatched to address structural damage at the residence.
“Fire fighters have done an assessment on the house, there is some damage but it is safe at this stage,” he added.
The police stated that investigations into the crash are still underway. Preliminary reports suggest that a brake failure may have caused the accident. Mechanics will conduct a thorough inspection of the bus to identify the exact cause.
Meanwhile, an emotional Sebo was left to pick up the pieces in the aftermath of the crash.
“Just shocked and sad… and this is my kids’ house,” an emotional Sebo told 9 News.