A tragic scene unfolded in central Stockholm on Tuesday afternoon after a bus slammed into a bus stop, leaving several people dead and multiple others injured, according to Swedish police. The crash occurred at approximately 15:23 local time (14:23 GMT) along Valhallavägen, a busy stretch near the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) university.
Authorities say the circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear, but they have launched a manslaughter investigation as a routine procedure. Police spokesperson Nadya Norton confirmed that the bus driver has been arrested. However, officials have not yet disclosed whether there were passengers on board at the time or provided details regarding the number, ages, or identities of the victims.
Local media images showed frantic rescue operations, with emergency crews working to free individuals trapped beneath the double-decker bus. Witness accounts paint a harrowing picture. A nearby shop owner told Swedish broadcaster SVT that the bus struck a pole directly in front of the shelter, causing chaos as terrified people rushed into his shop in tears.
Another witness, speaking to Expressen newspaper, described the moment the vehicle barreled into the waiting passengers, saying the bus “mowed down an entire bus stop queue.” She said people screamed for help as bystanders worked desperately to assist the injured while others lay motionless on the ground. “There must have been more people under the bus,” she added.
The severity of the crash has sent shockwaves across the city and the nation. Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson expressed his condolences shortly after the news broke, saying his thoughts were with the victims and their families. “People who might have been on their way home to family, friends, or a quiet evening at home,” he wrote on X. “We do not yet know the cause, but right now my thoughts are primarily with those affected and their loved ones.”
Police and emergency services remain at the scene as investigations continue. More updates are expected as authorities work to piece together what led to the tragic crash.
