The driver behind the wheel of a transit bus, which veered off the road Saturday in Richmond and smashed into a power pole, suffered a “medical emergency,” according to TransLink.
The bus wasn’t in service and had no passengers on board, when the maintenance mechanic driving it around 9 a.m. crashed on No. 3 Road near Steveston Highway.
Richmond RCMP said Tuesday the incident was not being treated as a criminal matter and therefore couldn’t release any further details.
TransLink, which operates the bus service, said the driver, who will now have to clear a medical before driving again, was not injured during the incident.
More than 5,000 hydro customers in Richmond were without electricity for most of Saturday after the bus left No. 3 Road just before Steveston Highway.
About 5,298 B.C. Hydro customers were expected to wait until 6:30 p.m. to get power back following the accident.
Power was eventually back on at 7:52 p.m., according to BC Hydro’s website.
The accident also caused traffic lights along Steveston Highway, in the Ironwood Plaza area, to malfunction, leading to congestion getting on and off Highway 99.
Witnesses nearby described seeing a pole snapped in half, with the top half still hanging above the road.
First responders were on scene redirecting traffic, while crews worked to secure the fallen wires.
— With a file from The Province
