A collision between two public buses in Hamburg left 20 people injured on Thursday morning, including multiple schoolchildren on a class excursion. The incident occurred on Osdorfer Landstraße when one bus carrying 21 fourth-grade students apparently rear-ended another stationary bus that was waiting at a traffic light. Emergency services responded with approximately 40 personnel from police, fire department, and rescue services to manage the aftermath.
According to fire department officials, four adults sustained serious injuries while sixteen people received minor injuries. Among those transported to hospitals were four children with light injuries and one pregnant woman who was seriously hurt. The remaining injured individuals received medical attention at the scene from emergency responders. Initial reports suggested sunlight may have blinded the driver of the approaching bus, though authorities have not confirmed the exact cause of the accident.
The schoolchildren involved in the incident were returning from their planned field trip to the German Electron Synchrotron research center (DESY). Following the collision, the children were transported back to their school using a large-capacity rescue vehicle accompanied by police, where they were reunited with their parents. School administrators informed affected families that all children were "doing reasonably well" and were under either school or home supervision.
Both vehicles sustained significant damage in the collision, with the rear bus suffering heavy front-end damage and a completely shattered windshield, while the lead bus showed rear-end demolition. Osdorfer Landstraße, where the accident occurred, has since been reopened to traffic according to police statements. Local shopkeepers who witnessed the incident described the children as being "very shocked" by the experience.