A dozen people, including 10 passengers, are injured after a Mississauga transit bus drove into oncoming traffic on a Toronto highway, collided with a vehicle and crashed into a ditch Tuesday morning.
Emergency crews were called to the area of Highway 27 and Dixon Road at 11:04 a.m. Tuesday for reports of a collision.
Speaking to reporters at the scene, Sgt. Murray Campbell said the bus was travelling southbound on the highway near Toronto Pearson International Airport when it crossed into northbound traffic.
Campbell said the bus then struck a northbound-travelling vehicle and continued travelling the wrong-way before ending up in the ditch.
The driver of the bus sustained serious, but non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a trauma centre.
The driver of the northbound vehicle was also transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Campbell said.
Police originally said there were 30 passengers on the bus, but later clarified that of the 13 passengers, 10 sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to hospital.
Images from the scene show a badly damaged MiWay bus on the side of the highway. Campbell said the collision could have been “much worse.”
“If we can have a collision of this magnitude with that many people involved and have relatively minor injuries to the passengers, that is a good day, all things considered,” he said.
It’s unclear at this time what caused the bus driver to veer into oncoming traffic.
Both northbound and southbound lanes are closed from Dixon Road to Eglinton Avenue West as police investigate. Campbell said the closure is expected to last for an extended period of time as crews work to remove the bus, which he said may be resting on top of active gas lines.
Outgoing Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie offered her “thoughts and prayers” in a post on X to everyone injured in the collision.
“I want to thank all the first responders who attended the scene and transferred those injured to hospital. Authorities are actively investigating,” Crombie, who is also the leader of the Ontario Liberal Party, wrote.
Police are asking local residents and drivers who may have dash camera footage or witnessed the event to contact investigators.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-1900 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
