Ottawa: Questions remain after Friday's fatal bus crash
Monday, January 14, 2019, 7:51 AM - Collision investigators have finished documenting the scene of Friday's fatal bus crash at an Ottawa transit station, but it could still be a while before the public gets firm answers about what happened.
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Three people were killed and 23 injured Friday afternoon when a double-decker OC Transpo bus bound for Kanata slammed into a bus shelter at the station.
Here are just a few of the areas where significant questions remain, more than 36 hours after the deadly collision.
THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH
It's unlikely investigators will be making any declarative statements about the cause of the crash for some time.
At a Saturday press conference, Sgt. Cameron Graham with the Ottawa Police Service's collision investigation unit told reporters investigators were looking at a number of elements — including weather conditions, the bus itself, and "human factors."
Later in the day, investigators drove a similar double-decker bus down the same stretch of the Transitway, the city's bus rapid transit network, hoping to get a sense for what conditions were like at the time of the crash.
Both Graham and police Chief Charles Bordeleau, however, have said the investigation will be complex. Transport Canada and Ontario's Ministry of Transportation are also investigating.
Three people were killed and nearly two dozen injured in a collision involving an OC Transpo double-decker bus at Westboro station Friday afternoon. (@karinawieser/Twitter)
WHO THE VICTIMS ARE
Three people have been confirmed dead, but Ottawa police have not released their names or any other information.
In fact, one of the only details to have come out is that some members of the Canadian Armed Forces were among those injured.
Angela Banville, commandant of the Canadian Forces Support Unit, told CBC News Saturday that an unspecified number of "defence team" members were hurt and that they would be "made aware of all the support available to them."
And while it's possible the number of fatalities could rise, it won't likely rise by much.
While the Ottawa Hospital was reporting Friday night they had as many as nine people in critical condition, less than 24 hours later they said only one patient still required critical care.
The Queensway Carleton Hospital also handled a number of patients, but in the end, only one person was admitted — and that person's condition was serious but stable.
Emergency crews were called to Westboro station in Ottawa following a collision involving a double-decker OC Transpo bus. (@gabesimages/Twitter)
WHETHER RIDERS WILL FEEL SAFE
For some people, Friday's crash no doubt brought to mind another Ottawa mass transit tragedy: the 2013 crash between a double-decker bus and a Via Rail train that killed six people.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada found the design of the double-decker provided riders little protection in that crash.
After Friday's collision, some people were wondering if both the buses and Westboro station itself — which predates the addition of double-deckers to the city's fleet — may have contributed to the collision's severity.
So will that lead OC Transpo riders to hesitate before stepping on board a city bus? Or a light rail train, when Ottawa's Confederation line eventually opens?
It's hard to say. While city officials maintain the mass transit network is safe, others are calling for double-decker buses to be taken off the Transitway for the time being.
Police say the investigation into Friday's fatal collision involving an OC Transpo bus at Westboro station will be a long one. (@SaveOurSenators/Twitter)
THE EMOTIONAL TOLL
Mayor Jim Watson's declaration Friday night that flags at Ottawa City Hall would be lowered to half-mast was an immediate recognition of the crash's impact on the city's collective psyche.
In fact, a number of residents felt compelled to stop by the crash site Saturday morning. Two men even set up a tree as a memorial, noting they wanted to affix the names of the crash victims to its branches.
The Distress Centre of Ottawa and Region also brought in additional volunteers to help people cope with their anxiety and grief.
Seats from a double-decker city bus that struck a transit shelter at the start of the afternoon rush hour on Friday, are seen on the walkway at Westboro Station in Ottawa, on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019. (Justin Tang/Canadian Press)
"It's just an awful thing for us as a whole community, as a city, to go through," said Inge Roosendaal, a regular OC Transpo rider.
As of Monday, people will be able to sign a book of condolences for the crash victims at Ottawa City Hall. The book will be available until Sunday, Jan. 20.
CHIEF CALLS FOR CONFIDENCE
Ottawa police Chief Charles Bordeleau was quick to dismiss questions about bus safety during a press conference Saturday.
"People should continue to have confidence in our transportation system," Bordeleau said. "Ottawa has a very safe transportation system."
Kanata South Coun. Allan Hubley, the chair of the city's transit commission, echoed the chief's confidence in the buses — even though a member of his extended family was injured in the crash.
Hubley said he hadn't heard from any Kanata residents concerned about double-deckers, and that the cause of the crash still remains unknown.
"We'll answer that through this investigation. I'm confident that it's going to come out that the bus is safe."
This article was originally published on CBC.ca.
