![A double-decker bus has crashed into a shop in central London](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/news/2024/03/05/TELEMMGLPICT000369326749_17096386864050_trans_NvBQzQNjv4Bqb8JeB8Jg9-cDZW67ZhZptK7KHMF6JhC8myJ3y7nVpMo.jpeg?imwidth=680)
Double-decker bus crashes through shop window in London
One person taken to hospital after vehicle struck building in Soho
![A double-decker bus has crashed into a shop in central London](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/news/2024/03/05/TELEMMGLPICT000369326749_17096386864050_trans_NvBQzQNjv4Bqb8JeB8Jg9-cDZW67ZhZptK7KHMF6JhC8myJ3y7nVpMo.jpeg?imwidth=680)
A double-decker bus crashed into a shop next to a branch of All Bar One in central London, with one person taken to hospital.
The yellow vehicle, which had no passengers on it, struck the vacant shop shortly after 10am in New Oxford Street, Soho.
Police said there were no injuries with the driver understood to have left the bus before emergency crews arrived at the scene.
Witnesses claimed the driver was helped by builders who dragged him out of the vehicle through a window.
Neighbouring shops and offices were evacuated, with police officers telling workers it could be several hours before they could return.
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One woman, who works in a nearby Costa coffee shop, told The Telegraph the crash “felt like a bomb”.
“I heard a loud crash and everyone ran out to see what happened,” she said. “We looked outside and saw the bus had crashed into the shop next door.
“I called 999 and they said they had a lot of people contacting them about it. The fire brigade arrived in about three minutes and they evacuated all the customers.”
She added: “There was no one on the bus, just the driver, and he didn’t seem to be hurt. A group of builders had to pull him out of the window because the door didn’t work.
“If that was just a little to the left, it would have gone straight through our window. If there were customers there then they could have been badly hurt.”
Fiona Mansfield, who works in an office above All Bar One, added: “It was pretty scary and we all ran to look out of the window to see what happened.
“It’s not the kind of thing you expect to happen on a normal working day. It took us all by surprise.”
Another office worker, who gave her name as Maya, said: “We just heard a loud crash.
“We were really worried that someone had been hurt because there’s a whole line of cafes and restaurants there. It could have been a lot worse.”
The road was closed with police officers and firefighters at the scene.
![Yellow coloured bus has crashed into a building on New Oxford Street](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/news/2024/03/05/TELEMMGLPICT000369325636_17096369701620_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqNwJyN5aFH1f8m-UGCq32YESXDVobHLbZZp-A_Kknc4M.jpeg?imwidth=350)
London Ambulance Service said one person was taken to hospital after paramedics treated two people at the scene.
A spokesman said: “We were called at 10.10am today [March 5] to reports of a road traffic collision on New Oxford Street, WC1A.
“We sent resources to the scene, including an ambulance crew, a cycle paramedic, an incident response officer and members of our hazardous area response team.
“Our first paramedic arrived on scene in approximately five minutes.
“We treated two people. We took one patient to hospital and discharged the other at the scene.”
A London Fire Brigade spokesman said: “Firefighters are at the scene of a road traffic collision on New Oxford Street in Soho.
“One double-decker bus collided into the front of a building. One man left the bus before the brigade’s arrival and is being assessed on scene by London Ambulance Service crews.
“Road closures are in place and people are advised to avoid the area at this time.
“The Brigade was called at 10.11am. Two fire engines and two fire and rescue units from Soho, Euston and Battersea fire stations are at the scene.”
Transport for London said it was working to remove the bus, with damage understood to be superficial.
A spokesman said: “A route 8 bus has collided with a building on New Oxford Street.
“There were no passengers onboard the bus and we have support available for anyone affected by this incident. We are working with Stagecoach London, the operator, to establish what happened.”