In very critical condition, intubated, but fortunately stabilized, an 18-year-old man has been hospitalized since Sunday dawn as an overflow patient in the intensive care unit (ICU) of Piraeus “Tzaneio” hospital. The young man was struck late Saturday afternoon by a city bus in central Piraeus.
The 18-year-old suffered severe, crushing craniocerebral injuries, making it impossible to transfer him to an on-duty hospital of the Attica National Health System. Therefore, the neurosurgeon at “Tzaneio” proceeded urgently after doctors who rushed to the emergency department had previously managed to intubate and then hemodynamically stabilize the severely injured young man.
The neurosurgical operation on the 18-year-old was critical and lengthy, but was completed successfully. After the operation, the 18-year-old was admitted as an overflow patient to the ICU of “Tzaneio,” where he continues to be hospitalized intubated. As happens in such severe cases of multiple trauma patients, the first 24 hours of the 18-year-old’s hospitalization in the ICU are characterized as very critical.
Piraeus: How the traffic accident happened
It is recalled that the student was struck yesterday, Saturday, by a city bus in central Piraeus and is hospitalized in critical condition in the Intensive Care Unit of Tzaneio Hospital, with authorities investigating the exact circumstances of the accident.
The incident occurred shortly after 7:30 PM on Saturday, when a bus on line 130 (Piraeus – Nea Smyrni) struck the minor under circumstances that remain unclear, near the Piraeus Municipal Theater. According to information, the student suffered serious craniocerebral injuries and chest trauma. Doctors immediately proceeded with intubation, followed by surgical intervention on the head by a neurosurgeon. The next hours are characterized as extremely critical for his health outcome.
Regarding the circumstances of the accident, it remains unclear whether the 18-year-old attempted to cross the road or if he slipped and ended up on the roadway, on the bus lane. Testimonies suggest he may have lost his balance and ended up in front of the passing vehicle, which according to OASA representatives was traveling at low speed.
An ambulance paramedic immediately rushed to the scene and provided first aid, while the victim was then urgently transported to the hospital by ambulance. At the same time, the bus driver was brought to Piraeus Traffic Police and subsequently arrested, while according to information, the alcohol test he underwent was negative.
Authorities continue the investigation, collecting material from security cameras and eyewitness testimonies to determine the exact circumstances under which the serious traffic accident occurred in central Piraeus.
«The minor suddenly appeared in front of the vehicle»
The spokesperson for OASA employees, Leonidas Skoulos, gave his version of the serious traffic accident involving the 18-year-old’s injury in Piraeus on the show “Weekend from 5,” conveying what the bus driver described to him.
As he mentioned, the incident unfolded within seconds, with the minor appearing suddenly in front of the vehicle: “I spoke with the driver last night. The child suddenly appeared in front of the bus, on the right side, and was hit in the back. There was no time to react.”
According to him, the bus was moving at low speed, about 22 kilometers per hour, which as he explained does not negate the severity of the injury: “It may seem like a small speed, but when we’re talking about such a heavy vehicle, even at 10 or 15 kilometers, if it doesn’t have time to brake, serious injury can be caused. Most likely the child was injured by the fall.”
Mr. Skoulos also noted that, based on indications, the 17-year-old may not have realized the direction of bus movement in the bus lane: “The driver told us that the child was looking toward the opposite side, where the cars move. He probably didn’t understand where the bus was coming from or maybe he slipped.”
He also referred to testimonies from the scene, according to which the minor was suddenly found on the roadway: “There are protective railings at the spot, so it’s difficult for someone to fall from the sidewalk. Most likely the child was already moving on the road, in the opposite flow.” Finally, he clarified that, based on the evidence so far, the driver had no ability to prevent the accident: “He didn’t even have time to see the child. He appeared suddenly in front of the windshield. There was no margin for reaction.”
