A devastating accident occurred outside a middle school in Tai’an city, Shandong province, eastern China, on Tuesday, resulting in the loss of 11 lives.
According to state broadcaster CCTV, a school bus lost control and ploughed into a crowd of parents and students at 7:27 am, causing widespread destruction and chaos.
Photos and videos shared on social media showed the aftermath of the crash, with people lying in the road in blood-soaked clothes. One eyewitness described the scene as “heartbreaking,” saying, “They’re all dead… I’d have been killed too if I’d stood there, but luckily I ran away fast.”
The driver of the bus is currently being held by local police, and an investigation into the cause of the incident is underway. The tragedy has raised concerns about traffic safety in China, where deadly accidents occur frequently due to lax safety standards and disorderly driving.
This incident is not an isolated one. In July, a vehicle crashed into pedestrians in Changsha, killing eight people and injuring five. The cause of that incident is still under investigation.
The accident occurred just as many public schools in China reopened for the new academic year, making it an even more devastating start to the semester for the affected families and community.
