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Colonial Coach Lines Bus Accident

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Colonial Coach Lines bus accident
Crash site is located in Ontario
Crash site
Crash site
Crash site (Ontario)
Details
DateJuly 31, 1953
LocationMorrisburg, Ontario
Statistics
Vehicles2 (Bus, Truck)
Passengers37
Deaths20
Injuredunknown

The Colonial Coach Lines bus accident occurred on July 31, 1953 after a passenger bus carrying 37 occupants travelling from Toronto, Ontario to Montreal, Quebec, collided with a truck that was stalled on the side of Highway 2, near Morrisburg, Ontario, killing 20 passengers on board.[1]

Accident

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On July 31, 1953 at approximately 04:00am, a Colonial Coach Bus Line passenger bus on an overnight express, en route from Toronto, Ontario to Montreal, Quebec, struck a stalled truck with its lights off, on Highway 2 close to Morrisburg, Ontario.[2] The bus careened off the highway down a 25 foot embankment ending up in the Williamsburg canal system in about 6 meters of water.[1][3] Some passengers would escape by kicking out windows and smashing doors,[2] In the end 20 passengers were dead and 17, including the driver, would escape.[1] The driver of the parked truck would also survive.[1]

Legacy

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The Colonial Coach Lines bus accident remains the deadliest traffic accident in Ontario history.[2]

See also

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List of deadliest Canadian traffic accidents

List of traffic collisions (before 2000)

List of disasters in Canada by death toll

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "20 KILLED IN BUS CANAL DIVE". Mail. 1953-08-01. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  2. ^ a b c Government of Canada, Public Safety Canada (2018-12-21). "Canadian Disaster Database". cdd.publicsafety.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  3. ^ "Motor Vehicle Disasters in Canada". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved 2023-09-27.