B.C. Greyhound bus collision kills 1, injures 2

A car collided with a Greyhound passenger bus in the B.C. Interior early Saturday, killing the woman behind the wheel of the car and injuring the bus driver and a passenger, the RCMP said.

The accident occurred around 4 a.m. MT on Highway 3 between Fernie and Sparwood, near Hosmer, about 50 kilometres from the Alberta border, RCMP Cpl. Annie Linteau said in a statement.

The 34-year-old woman's identity was being withheld until her family could be notified, but Linteau said she was from Cowley, Alta.

Linteau said the car crossed the double centre line and collided with the bus, killing the woman on impact. 

The bus driver was taken to hospital with serious injuries, while one of the bus passengers also required treatment for injuries, Linteau said.

Joel Crandell, a passenger on the bus, said he doubts he'll ever travel by Greyhound bus again.

Crandell was sleeping in his seat near the middle of the bus when he was awakened by a crashing sound, followed by a loud bang.

"The glass was shattered everywhere," he said. "Adrenaline was pumping. You could hear the bus driver scream — people are screaming, and so many people in shock."

Crandell said the bus flipped on its side during the crash, and the bus driver was pummelled by the impact.

"I was just trying to use the flashlight and just trying to talk to him and get him to calm down because ... he had lots of blood and his neck was bleeding."

Crandell said one other passenger was also badly hurt.

"I had to use my coat on this one guy. He was cut up pretty bad on his arms and he had a cut on his head. It was really dark, so you couldn't even see anything."

Local resident Brenda Hill told CBC News that she and her husband ran to the end of their driveway after hearing sirens to find her neighbour helping passengers out of the bus, which had come to rest in a nearby ditch.

Hill said conditions were clear at the time of the crash.

The bus was carrying six passengers and was en route to Creston, B.C., from Calgary.

Highway 3 was closed in both directions for several hours Saturday, but has since been re-opened.