Woman dies, four hurt in bus smash-up

An out-of-control passenger bus triggered a four-vehicle smash-up in busy Sta. Cruz, Manila yesterday morning, resulting in the death of one of the passengers and injuries to four others, including two children and a policeman.

Western Traffic Division investigators said the wayward bus (NXS-519) sandwiched a stainless jeep (UUU-462) and a passenger jeepney (NXZ-565) with another passenger jeepney (NXY-532) wrecking the two as a result of the powerful impact. All the other vehicles were at full stop when the bus slammed into them with the stainless jeep being hit first.

The fatality, Pangalian Sarimama, 55, was reportedly a commuter on the wrecked public utility jeepney while the driver of the stainless vehicle was Senior Police Officer 3 Pedro Montuya, 55, who was pinned between his seat and the steering wheel. Emergency workers and bystanders had to pry Montuya out of his vehicle but he was reported to have suffered only minor fractures and has been released from the hospital. – Jose Aravilla