Crash sends bus into pole, cuts power

Although lines were left draped over the bus, power cut out automatically so passengers were in no danger of electric shocks. Photo / Richard Robinson

Hundreds of homes in Mission Bay, Auckland, lost electricity and telephone services yesterday afternoon after a concrete power pole was demolished in a crash between a bus and a station wagon.

Police said the late model Ford Mondeo wagon drove through a stop sign on Nihill Cres at 2.50pm, hitting the front of the Metrolink bus which was heading down Selwyn Ave with three passengers on board.

Evasive action by the bus driver carried his nine-tonne vehicle across a footpath on the other side of Selwyn Ave, crushing most of an 11m power pole and toppling a disused steel lamppost.

It is understood a young woman passenger fell over inside the bus and knocked her head, but was checked by ambulance officers and given a clean bill of health.

Although overhead lines were left draped over the bus, Vector electricity faults supervisor Joe Clarke said the power supply was designed to cut out as lines were pulled off the pole so passengers were not at risk of shocks.

The woman driver of the Mondeo, which was spun about and hurled into the base of a small tree about 15m away, had to be comforted by residents before being led away by police.

A male passenger apparently left the scene before police arrived.

"[The driver] was saying her husband had left to pick up the kids," said Auckland City Hospital doctor Astrid Atlas, who lives nearby and rushed out to help when she heard the crash.

The bus driver remained at the scene, seemingly unshaken and guarding his cash-box. NZ Bus officials would not let the Weekend Herald speak to him.

Another resident, who would identify himself only as John, felt his roof shake as the falling power pole pulled electricity and telephone wires tight against his house.

"I saw the tree [hit by the station wagon] shake and heard a lady crying."

Vector spokeswoman Philippa White said about 700 homes lost their power before faults crews were able to reroute supplies. But about 40 homes were still without electricity last night.

She said a replacement pole would be installed overnight to ensure power was restored as soon as possible.