After serious Riga bus crash, many bystanders filmed instead of helping the injured
On Friday evening a police car, a trolleybus and two cars collided at a Riga intersection. A witness says dozens of onlookers filmed the scene on their phones instead of helping the seriously injured.
A serious crash occurred on Friday evening at the intersection of Bruņinieku and Avotu streets in Riga, involving a State Police (VP) car, a Rīgas satiksme trolleybus and two passenger cars. The incident left a lasting impression on witnesses, one of whom later shared his account on Facebook.
A man living near the site, hearing the crash, rushed to help still wearing his house slippers. Arriving at the intersection, he found around 30 people gathered, but many of them were filming the aftermath on their phones instead of assisting.
Only two people helped inside the trolleybus
Inside the trolleybus, whose doors were open, five people had been seriously injured. The witness says only one young woman was trying to help them at that moment; he joined her, asking what he could do. Neither had medical training or equipment, but they provided what support they could until National Emergency Medical Service (NMPD) teams arrived and removed the last injured person from the vehicle.
The man notes that while more than 30 onlookers gathered outside, only two people tried to help those inside the trolleybus. He urges the public, when someone needs help, to put their phones away and, if unsure what to do, to call 112 or ask nearby medics or police whether assistance is needed.
Police vehicle entered the intersection against a red light
The State Police confirmed that officers were responding at 17:04 on Friday to a top-priority call involving minors, using activated lights and sirens. At the moment of the collision, the traffic light facing the police vehicle was red. A review of video footage found that the police crew crossed the intersection too quickly without first ensuring it was safe.
The VP states that the actual circumstances of the incident are being established during the investigation. A criminal proceeding has been opened and referred to the Internal Security Bureau (IDB).
