House demolished in Coach Crash
Thirty five British holiday makers were returning from a nine day tour around Prague, Vienna and Budapest on a trip organised by Leger Holidays of Rotherham, South Yorkshire. The coach party was driving through Belgium when the coach accident occurred just before noon.
In June 2007 a coach crash occurred that if it had been written in a story nobody would have believed it.
An elderly couple suddenly drove their car out of a side street and into the middle of the road causing the oncoming coach to swerve into the side of a house in an attempt to avoid a collision. Belgian police spokesman Ry Van De Gunst said “The car came from a side street. The driver of the coach saw it and tried to avoid a collision but it came into contact with the house because there was no escape.”
Although the driver of the coach was unhurt in the coach crash, the relief driver (who was not driving at the time), lost his arm in the collision and was taken to hospital in a serious condition. Three other passengers from the coach were in a serious condition while thirteen others were taken to hospital for minor injuries. Two of the passengers from the car were slightly hurt.
The coach hit a two storey house near the coastal town of Middelkirke. The coach went through the front wall and into the sitting room narrowly missing a teenager who was sat near the window. The seven room house was home to John Spinnewyn, 54, and his wife Dominique along with their six children. Although all eight members of the family were home at the time none of them were seriously injured, but were treated for minor injuries.
John Spinnewyn said “It was very scary. I was in the bedroom upstairs and the floor collapsed. Three of us in the bedroom fell down from the top floor. It was a huge bang and I thought it was World War Three. My wife hurt her shoulder and a few of my children were injured but we were very lucky. I am just relieved that we are all safe. It was an old house that had survived World War Two – but it has been destroyed by a coach. It is very sad.”
Injured passengers are able to make a personal injury claim following a coach accident as the responsibility for their safety is placed upon the coach company. The insurers may make offers of compensation to any passengers injured as a result of the coach accident but, if they do, it is in the victims’ best interest to seek independent legal advice before doing so.
Macks Solicitors have been acting for clients who have been injured in coach accidents in this country and abroad for many years and our qualified solicitors are always happy to discuss the making of a personal injury free and without obligation.