One person has died and three others have been injured after a double-decker bus crashed onto a pedestrianised street in Dublin city centre this afternoon.
The incident occurred shortly after 12.30pm on North Earl Street, at the junction with Talbot Street and Marlborough Street. A Bus Éireann double-decker, which the company has confirmed was not in service at the time, appears to have mounted the footpath and driven into the pedestrianised area, striking a number of pedestrians.
Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan confirmed that one person died as a result of the collision and said his thoughts were with the victim’s family. Three others were taken to hospital with injuries, though the extent of their condition has not yet been disclosed.
Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes in the moments after the crash. One person said: “We heard a massive bang and the lights flickered.” Emergency services arrived within minutes, with a large-scale response mounted in the busy city-centre location.
Dublin Fire Brigade said it “received reports of a road traffic collision involving a bus and pedestrians” and confirmed that more than 20 firefighter-paramedics and advanced paramedics responded to the scene. The response included four fire engines, two emergency tenders with heavy rescue equipment, an advanced paramedic response car, four ambulances and a rapid response vehicle from the National Ambulance Service, as well as two district officers.
A tent was erected around the crash site and a Garda cordon remains in place as forensic examinations continue. The front windscreen of the bus was badly damaged, with debris scattered across North Earl Street as firefighters and paramedics worked to secure the area and treat the injured.
Gardaí described the incident as a “serious road traffic incident involving a bus on North Earl Street, Dublin 1” and said investigations are ongoing. No further details have been released at this stage.
The crash has caused widespread disruption in the city centre. Talbot Street is closed from Gardiner Street, while Marlborough Street is closed from Cathal Brugha Street, with local diversions in place. Luas Green Line services were suspended between Parnell Street and St Stephen’s Green, and Transport for Ireland has warned of ongoing service disruptions, with several bus routes diverted, including Route 130.
The incident has shocked shoppers, commuters and workers in one of Dublin’s busiest pedestrian areas. Gardaí are appealing for patience from the public as the scene remains sealed off and enquiries continue into how the bus came to leave the roadway and enter the pedestrianised street.
