Bus drove into tunnel near Warsaw West

8 July 2026 Poland Radar 0 Comments

A bus crash in tunnel near Warsaw West injured six. Authorities probe mechanical failure claims while MZA awaits a technical report.

A city bus drove into an underground pedestrian tunnel near Warsaw West station on the evening of July 5. The bus crash in tunnel left six people injured and stunned local transport officials.

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What happened: bus crash in tunnel

The incident began around Plac Narutowicza when the Solaris bus clipped a tram with its mirror. Consequently the bus knocked down a traffic light and kept moving. However cameras from Warsaw Trams show the driver did not stop after the collision. In addition the bus traveled about one kilometre along Bitwy Warszawskiej 1920 Street. Moreover it struck several parked cars before entering the pedestrian tunnel at Rondo Zesłańców Syberyjskich. Finally the vehicle hit the concrete ceiling with its roof and became lodged. Fortunately no pedestrians used the corridor at that moment.

Driver, vehicle and immediate response

The driver is a 58-year-old retiree who worked part-time for MZA under a contract of mandate. In addition the company says he drove only two weekends per month. The bus was a five-year-old Solaris with about 300,000 kilometres on its odometer. However medical tests showed the driver was sober and free from drugs. Consequently authorities questioned him but did not charge him yet. Moreover rescue teams treated six injured people, including a child with a head laceration. Two victims went to hospital for further care.

Investigation and official statements

Prokuratura Rejonowa Warszawa-Ochota leads the probe for causing direct danger of a land-traffic disaster. In Polish law this allegation can lead to criminal charges and serious penalties. However MZA president Jan Kuźmiński has expressed scepticism about the driver’s claim of brake or steering failure. He argued that safety systems should lock the bus and stop any unintended acceleration, even during hydraulic loss. Therefore the company will wait for a full technical expert report before commenting further. In addition prosecutors will review that report when deciding on charges.

💡 GOOD TO KNOW: If you live in Poland as an expat, follow official updates from MZA and the prosecutor. In addition contact the local police station if you witnessed the crash. Moreover keep medical records if you suffered injuries. If you have access to public health care, treatment may be covered by NFZ (Poland’s public health insurer). If you work or pay contributions in Poland, you may know ZUS (the social security office). Furthermore know that a “mandat” means a fine for minor offences, while PESEL is the national ID number used for many services. Therefore if you need legal help, contact your embassy and consider a Polish-speaking lawyer familiar with transport claims.

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