Greyhound bus crash disaster on Bruce Hwy: One of three women killed identified
The family of a woman who died in Sunday’s horrific triple-fatal bus crash has spoken of their grief, as it was revealed the woman was travelling with her daughter from Brisbane to Townsville.
Townsville
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The Townsville Hospital and Health Service announced on Thursday morning that all four male patients, aged 23, 24, 27 and 51, who remained in hospital after a violent and horrifying crash in which three women were killed on the Bruce Highway, were all now in a stable condition.
Hospital spokesperson Dr Yates said on Monday that two patients were in a critical condition in intensive care, a 23-year-old male and a 24-year-old male, and two patients in a stable condition, a 51-year old male and a 27-year old male.
EARLIER:
The family of a 56-year-old Townsville woman who tragically died in Sunday’s horror Bruce Highway bus crash has shared their grief over her loss.
The woman was returning home from Brisbane with her daughter when the bus she was travelling in allegedly crossed the centre-line of the highway, smashing into a caravan being towed by a four-wheel drive.
The 56-year-old died at the scene of the crash while her daughter was uninjured.
The mother of four has been remembered as a “gentle soul” and devout Christian who was also the head of her church choir in Townsville.
A family member said that they wanted “answers” and were “still in shock” following Sunday’s crash.
“(She) was a wonderful person … she is going to be missed … (her death) doesn’t feel real,” they said.
It comes after police earlier confirmed the 56-year-old Townsville woman, and two women aged in their 20s and 30s lost their lives in the crash on Sunday about 11am.
Two people are fighting for life after the Greyhound bus crashed into a caravan – the impact forced the van through the windscreen and into the cabin.
Members of the community were first on scene at the “very confronting” highway crash in the Whitsunday town of Gumlu, starting first aid for the 27 bus passengers that included a number of foreign nationals.
Mackay District Superintendent Graeme Paine said it was a “very, very confronting incident” and “very complex in terms of how it happened”, describing it as bordering on a “mass casualty event”.
Because of the rural location, between Bowen and Townsville, it took some time for all emergency crews to reach the crash site.
The Bruce Highway was closed well into the night, reopening about midnight.
Superintendent Paine said as a result members of the public had started that initial first aid process.
The horror crash sent emergency services – including two rescue helicopters – rushing to the tiny Whitsunday town.
Emergency responders described the scene as “chaotic” and “challenging”.
Several people were trapped in the wreckage for some time, with photographs of the crash site showing what appeared to be the caravan embedded inside the front end of the bus.
The large passenger bus had run a significant distance off the road, coming to a stop on railway tracks that run adjacent to the highway.
It is understood the bus driver miraculously escaped serious injury, while the two occupants of the 4WD that had been towing the caravan were also uninjured.
All those killed or seriously injured were passengers on the Greyhound bus.
A Queensland Ambulance Service spokesperson said responders set up a triage system due to the sheer number of victims.
Chief medical officer from the Townsville University Hospital Dr Jason Yates provided an update on Monday morning and commended the hospital staff in their response efforts following Sunday’s bus tragedy at Gumlu.
Dr Yates said two patients remain in a critical condition in intensive care, a 23-year-old male and a 24-year-old male, and two patients in a stable condition, a 51-year old male and a 27-year old male.
Three patients were discharged from the hospital on Sunday night.
Dr Yates said the hospital would not comment on the injuries sustained or details of the patients due to patient confidentiality.
“I’d like to start by offering our condolences to the families of those that lost loved ones yesterday,” he said.
“As you can imagine, yesterday was a very busy day for our health service providers, QAS and RSQ.”
“We have to acknowledge the other people that worked hard, including bystanders that provided medical treatment while waiting for emergency services to arrive.”
Dr Yates said the hospital put in place a statement yesterday asking members of the community to ‘reconsider’ attending the Townsville University Hospital and Ayr Health Service emergency departments unless the matter was ‘serious’.
He said this worked well in ensuring that the TUH was able to provide emergency care.
“We were expecting a mass casualty event yesterday and we needed to be ready to respond. We were able to cope with everything,” he said.
“We were able to provide timely care to the patients that needed it as part of this tragic event, but also our regular care.”
Dr Yates said the TUH was a ‘major trauma referral centre’ for North Queensland and said the staff are prepared for incidents like this.
“It’s a regular occurrence that we will see people that come from motor vehicle accidents so we definitely see the real time effects that it can have on services.”
The Queensland Government Air rescue helicopter and the RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter both landed on scene carrying specialist medical teams, including doctors, and at least three planes from the Royal Flying Doctor Service were put on standby.
Townsville Health and Hospital Service said its Health Incident Management Team had met to ensure all patients brought to Townsville University Hospital and Ayr Health Service received the help they needed.
“We have created capacity across our critical care units, including intensive care and emergency, as well as in theatres and inpatient units,” Chief Medical Officer Dr Jason Yates said.
“We’ve mobilised additional staff and are working with the QAS and RSQ to manage and care for the patients.”
On Sunday afternoon, Townsville Health and Hospital Service urged people to only attend Townsville University Hospital and Ayr Hospital if their matters were serious.
On Sunday night two men, 23 and 24, were in a critical condition in hospital, while a further two, 27 and 51, were stable.
A 64-year-old man and two women, 23 and 63, had been discharged from hospital.
“This is obviously a terrible situation and our heart goes out to those who have lost loved ones,” Dr Yates said.
“Today we mobilised surgical, anaesthetic, medical, emergency and social work staff to support the care of the patients, who have come to us from this accident, and their families.”
Dr Yates said at 9pm that three of those patients – the females aged 64 and 23 and male aged 64 – had been discharged although the condition of the 23-year-old male had been upgraded to critical.
Queensland Police Superintendent Graeme Paine said police were yet to determine what had caused the crash about 8km north of Gumlu.
“The traffic crash has involved two vehicles – a 4WD towing a caravan was heading in a southbound direction on the Bruce Hwy and a bus was travelling in a northbound direction.
“There‘s been a collision between those two vehicles, (resulting in a) very significant impact and very significant consequences.”
Supt Paine said 33 people were on board the bus when it crashed.
“Unfortunately three people are currently deceased,” he said.
“We’ve had a number of people that have been treated at the scene for injuries.
“Some of those people have been taken to Ayr Hospital and Townsville Hospital.
“I can confirm that one person has been flown due to the significance of their injuries.
“At this stage the crash is under investigation. We haven’t determined any factors that have contributed to the crash at this stage.
“But certainly, a crash of this nature involving this many people is a very significant and very tragic incident for us.”
He said it was a high-speed, high-impact collision due to the nature of the road.
“I can confirm that the area where the crash occurred was a 100 kilometres zone, so it’s a crash involving a significant impact,” he said.
Supt Paine acknowledged the community members and the first responders who had been left to deal with the carnage.
“A crash like this is very, very confronting and the first responders and the community members on scene at the time have done a very significant job in trying to help those who are injured and safeguard the scene and trying to assist those in need of medical attention,” he said.
Burdekin MP Dale Last the current priority needed to be the victims and emergency responders facing confronting scenes.
“My thoughts right now are with those involved in the incident, their families and the emergency services who are involved,” he said.
“I know from personal experience that events like this have an impact on emergency services staff and I would ask the community to include them when they send their best wishes to those involved and their loved ones.”
Premier Steven Miles said one loss of life on our roads was difficult to accept let alone many.
“My thoughts are with those involved in this morning’s bus crash at Gumlu, south of Townsville, especially the family and friends of those who have sadly died, and the critically injured,” he said.
“I’ve been told emergency services were met with a very confronting scene.”
Mr Miles thanked the first responders, saying they “really are heroes”.
“The Queensland Police Service has launched a full investigation into this crash and the Bruce Highway is currently closed in both directions, as is the rail line.”
QPS said at 6.30pm that one lane of the Bruce Highway had opened.
Greyhound Australia CEO Dan Smith said on Sunday night: “We are heartbroken that three passengers aboard Greyhound Australia service GX402 travelling from Brisbane to Townsville have died after a motor vehicle accident at Gumlu in North Queensland today.
“This is a tragic incident and our deepest sympathies go out to those involved and their families and friends.
“We are working closely with authorities to assist them with their investigation in understanding the course of events that have led to this accident. We are also providing support to members of our team impacted by this tragedy.
“We will provide further updates as more information becomes available and ask that you respect the privacy of those involved at this extremely difficult time.”
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Originally published as Greyhound bus crash disaster on Bruce Hwy: One of three women killed identified
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