Manchester bus smashes into city centre building - emergency services rush to scene

Police have cordoned off the area and a white tent has been erected as the emergency response continues.

At least one person has been carried on a stretcher and two helped into ambulances, local reports have revealed.

GB News understands that multiple people have sustained injuries, including a pedestrian.

Bus services from Piccadilly Gardens have been halted following the single-decker bus crash, Transport for Greater Manchester has confirmed.

The vehicle involved in the collision has been identified as an blue X50 Diamond which runs between Manchester and the Trafford Centre.

The department said: "Due to an ongoing police incident involving a bus, Piccadilly Gardens is currently closed to all bus services."

All buses are using alternative stops in the city centre.

"Metrolink services will not stop at Piccadilly Gardens."

The area will now face significant travel disruption on its public transport networks.

The bus stops are mostly covered by the police cordon and the tram stop has been closed.

However, trams are still passing through the Piccadilly Gardens area.

Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service also issued a statement following the incident.

It said: “At 1.15pm today two fire engines from Manchester Central and Salford fire stations as well as the technical response unit from Ashton fire station were called to an incident on Parker Street, Manchester City Centre. Crews remain in attendance.”

Greater Manchester Police added: "At around 1pm today police were called to reports of a collision involving a bus and a shop in Piccadilly Gardens.

"Police alongside colleagues in the Northwest Ambulance Service and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue have been in attendance.

"There are road closures in the area whilst emergency services remain at the scene dealing with the collision and officers from GMP's Serious Collision Investigation Unit are in attendance.

"We would ask members of the public to avoid the area where possible whilst officers establish the full circumstances."

Councillor Pat Karney told the Manchester Evening News this afternoon: "We are thinking of everyone traumatised by this tragic crash.

"There are lots of hearsay about what happened but it’s best to wait for the official statement.

"The City Council is working with our emergency services."

Pictures from the scene suggest the bus collided with the City Tower close to Piccadilly Gardens' Metrolink stop.

Footage recorded by a passerby also showed at least 20 ambulances, police cars and fire engines were at the scene, along with dozens of emergency workers.

Local residents took to social media to share more information about the incident.

An X user said: "A bus has just crashed into the front of a shop at Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester, never seen so many emergency service vehicles in my life. Properly, properly horrendous."

Another added: "Whatever's happened at Piccadilly Gardens, looks really bad. Hope everyone is okay there."

A third wrote: "One of the most horrible scenes I’ve witnessed, really praying everybody involved in the incident at Piccadilly Gardens are okay and pull through my heart goes out to all involved."