Lucky escape for driver and passengers after tree smashes into bus

Stephen Maguire

A bus driver suffered cuts and bruises after a Bus Éireann bus was struck by a falling tree during Storm Isha.

The incident happened on the Donegal to Dublin Expressway service on Sunday night.

Bus Éireann had earlier cancelled all their services from Donegal from 9pm until 1am due to the Status Red weather alert.

However, the bus involved in the incident had left Donegal town at 7pm, before the Status Red alert was due to begin in Donegal at 9pm.

As winds began to whip up, the driver made a decision to turn back due to fallen trees along the route.

However, as the bus drove back towards Donegal town, it was struck by a large tree outside Milltown, Co Fermanagh.

The windscreen was smashed and part of the tree came into the driver's dashboard, causing extensive damage.

The driver was struck by the tree, but managed to keep control of the bus and brought the vehicle to a safe stop.

One passenger described it as a terrifying experience, but paid tribute to the driver.

"The driver had a few cuts and bruises but wasn’t injured significantly, but he did an amazing job in bringing the bus to a safe stop.

"It was quite frightening. It seemed that the tree appeared out of nowhere, and suddenly I remember thinking we weren’t going to stop in time, so I braced, and I remember hearing the windscreen smashing," the passenger said.

"Thank God no one was seriously injured but the driver deserves so much credit in how he reacted. He was very calm considering what had happened," they added.

The passengers were later picked up by another Expressway bus which was travelling from Dublin to Donegal.

Back on the road just 15 minutes, another tree came crashing down onto the roadway, which the bus managed to avoid.