A man has been injured following a freak accident where a bus collided with a tree, causing it to topple onto a pedestrian. The incident occurred at the junction of Merlin Road and Hook Lane in Welling and triggered a large-scale emergency response.
Emergency services, including police, firefighters, paramedics, and an air ambulance, were dispatched after the crash was reported around midday. However, while the air ambulance was called as a precaution, it was not ultimately required.
According to witnesses, the bus struck the tree with enough force to uproot it, causing it to fall onto a man who was reportedly walking his dog. Locals posting on social media said the dog managed to run home safely, while the man, though trapped under or within the fallen tree, remained conscious at the scene.
Specialist crews worked swiftly to free the man, who suffered head injuries. He was assessed and treated at the scene before being transported to hospital by land ambulance. His injuries, although serious, are not currently believed to be life-threatening.
The road was temporarily closed in both directions while emergency services dealt with the aftermath, but it has since been fully reopened.
While many residents expressed concern and sympathy, others took to social media with a wave of dark humour. Jokes about the “special branch” being involved and the bus driver “getting some stick” quickly circulated, though several commentators called for more sensitivity given the seriousness of the incident.
