Two buses collided on a one-way section of road just off the Place du Général de Gaulle in Cannes on Sunday evening, injuring 32 and destroying several parked vehicles. Here’s what we know so far.  

By the time the dust had settled on Sunday night, the emergency services on the scene of a bizarre bus accident near the Vieux Port had announced that 32 people had been injured in the incident. 19 were sent to hospital with minor injuries and the remaining 13 were treated on site.  

The accident happened at around 6.30pm in a busy part of town located between port and the famous Palais des Festivals.  

According to eyewitness reports, one of the buses was travelling at a high speed against the flow of traffic when it collided with another bus. One of the buses mounted the curb and crashed into the roadside landscaping, taking out several stationary scooters and motorbikes as it went.  

A couple who spoke to France 3 Côte d’Azur and who saw the events unfold said, “We were sitting on the terrace eating [when] we saw bus number 10 travelling at least at 70 kmh. It made a crazy noise. General panic, people got up and ran away. My scooter went under the wheels of the bus! I was shocked, I was just crying, I was scared. Being on the terrace saved our lives. Luckily, we weren’t leaving or arriving!” 

Other eyewitnesses say there was a “huge noise” that was “like an explosion”, and that the “there was a big boom” followed by the smell of petrol.  

A victim assembly point was set up at the Cannes ferry terminal, not far from where the accident occurred.  

Of the 19 people who required hospital attention, nine were sent to the local Hôpital de Cannes, six were treated in Antibes and four were transported to the Centre Hospitalier de Grasse.  

“These victims are fortunately only slightly injured. They have either bruises or light scratches,” said Colonel Nicolas Franck of the SDIS 06, whose team was on the ground in the aftermath of the incident.  

An investigation to determine the circumstances of the accident has been launched, according to Mayor of Cannes David Lisnard.

One of the two buses was towed away at around 10.15pm, and normal traffic was able to resume by midnight. 

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Photo source: Twitter / David Lisnard, Mayor of Cannes