TWO major inquiries are under way after bus passengers cheated death in a crash.
Police and First Bus company officials are investigating how and why a double-decker bus crashed into a garden at Fartown.
Thirty-three passengers on the X6 service were hurt when the double- decker veered off a main road yesterday.
But thankfully there were no serious injuries.
Supt Nigel Hibbert, of Kirklees Police, said: "We have now started a major investigation into the accident."
The investigators will be inspecting the bus for any mechanical problems and CCTV images will also be closely examined to see if there are any clues to the crash.
Emergency services geared up for a major incident after the bus crashed on Bradford Road just below its junction with Ashbrow Road in Fartown just after 10am.
One woman suffered internal injuries and the bus driver - a 23-year-old man from Bradford - suffered injuries to his face.
The rest were mostly dazed passengers who had bumps, bruises and whiplash.
The first paramedics on scene reported they were dealing with a major incident and a fleet of ambulances attended.
The X6 Bradford to Huddersfield bus careered off the road, crashed through a wall and dragged a lamp post with it.
It then went across a car park at Yorkshire Tiles and Bathrooms, across a grass embankment, through a hedge, demolished a garage and hit a high stone wall before finally stopping in a garden.
The bus dragged the severed lamp post into the back garden of a house on The Grove.
No other vehicle was involved.
Around 30 people were tended by ambulance crews at the scene and many were taken to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary. Yorkshire Ambulance Service director of operations John Darley said: "We received our first call to the scene at 10.06am and we responded with eight emergency vehicles - two rapid response cars and six double-crewed ambulances.
"We treated more than 30 casualties including one woman in her late 30s who was classed as serious.
"Most had whiplash, cuts and bruises."
He said the first reports were that the bus had overturned, but thankfully that was not the case.
Mr Darley said: "If the bus had overturned we would have been dealing with a far more serious incident."
He said some passengers were content to be treated at the scene and the final crews left at noon - two hours after the crash.
Philip Holme, a mechanic at nearby Wilco Motorsave on Bradford Road heard the crash and rushed to the scene.
Mr Holme said: "I heard a big bang and then a crash followed by screaming.
"I ran over with a first aid kit and we had to put a ladder down to help get people off the bus.
"We helped people through the back exit.
Alan McGowan, another mechanic at Wilco, said: "I saw a woman with her glasses smashed. Her eyes were bleeding.
"The driver was out on the floor outside the bus. I tried to put him in the recovery position."
Mr McGowan added: "I got a little girl off the bus. We tried to help as many people off as possible.
"I rang the police and told them we needed a lot of ambulances.
"I felt sick. There was blood on my hands and I was wearing rubber gloves. It was just instinct. It was nasty."
Luke Gowgill, another Wilco mechanic, said: "We went to the back of the bus and helped people off."
Michelle Douglas lives at The Grove. The bus came to rest next to her back garden, dragging part of a lampost through her fence.
She said: "I heard a bang and I looked out of the window and I saw a massive puff of smoke. If the wall hadn't been there the lamp post would could have hit the house."
Christine McSheffrey who also lives on The Grove said: "We helped people out through the windows. I felt sick and I'm still shaking."
Alan Abel, a windscreen fitter at National Windscreens on Bradford Road rushed to the scene.
Mr Abel said: "I heard a crash and I saw the bus at the bottom of the road. It was mayhem."
Steve Graham, managing director of First in Leeds described the accident was `very major' and First Bus would be recovering CCTV footage.
All emergency services attended the scene.
Tony Bateman, watch manager at Huddersfield Fire Station, said: " We helped casualties of the bus.
"They were lucky there weren't more serious injuries. The driver was very lucky he managed to jump out of his seat in time. The steering column was pushed right into the driver's seat."
Four engines and one major rescue engine, used for heavy lifting, attended the scene.
* Anyone who saw the bus travelling down Bradford Road before the crash should contact Pc Andy Oversby at Huddersfield traffic police on 01484 436847.
