On May 20, 2026, in Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province, a double-decker bus carrying 32 passengers was struck on the roof by an overpass beam, causing the metal frame of the roof to twist and deform, with some seats exposed outside. The accident resulted in at least 8 people injured, some of whom were in serious condition and have been taken to the hospital for treatment.
Videos posted online on May 20 showed a double-decker bus in Xiangfang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, with passengers on board being struck on the roof by an overpass beam, resulting in severe damage to the front of the bus and injuries to passengers at the scene.
Footage from the scene displayed the twisted and deformed metal frame of the bus’s upper roof, with some seats exposed outside, the body frame and blue window curtains hanging down, and almost all of the front windshield shattered.
According to reports from various Mainland Chinese media outlets, around 8 a.m. on May 20, a double-decker bus with the label “Longjiang Jiaotou Xuexiang Direct Bus” was traveling in the direction of Nan Zhi Road towards Gongbin Road in Xiangfang District, Harbin City. When passing under an overpass, the upper roof of the bus collided violently with the beam of the overpass, resulting in a large portion of the roof being sheared off.
Eyewitnesses mentioned that most passengers on the bus were wearing white shirts and dark pants. At the scene, injured passengers were seen leaning against the window frames, covering their injuries with their hands, while some passengers had visible bloodstains and were being assisted off the bus by others.
Following the incident, the Xiangfang District Traffic Police Brigade stated that the accident had been resolved, attributing it to driver error. Regarding the injuries, the police described the passengers as having suffered “minor scrapes and bruises,” with no reports of serious injuries or fatalities. However, information from the Emergency Department of Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital contradicted this account. The hospital reported that among those seeking medical attention, three to four individuals had sustained more severe injuries. Discrepancies between the police statement and the hospital records sparked public inquiries into the details of the accident.
In response, the Xiangfang District Emergency Management Bureau clarified that the involved bus had a capacity for 55 passengers but was carrying 32 passengers at the time of the accident, with 8 individuals being injured and taken to the hospital. The driver has been taken into custody for investigation.
The vehicle involved in the crash was identified as belonging to Longjiang Jiaotou Xuexiang Direct Bus. Public records indicate that this bus is operated by Heilongjiang Investment Group’s Longyun Xuexiang Scenic Area Direct Bus and has been in operation since the end of 2024, providing multiple daily trips between Harbin and Xuexiang.
This incident has prompted many netizens to question how the driver, who should have been familiar with the regular route, ended up entering an overpass with insufficient clearance. Was it due to a navigation error, a sudden change in the route, or distracted driving?
One netizen expressed horror, remarking, “This is too terrifying to contemplate.”
Additionally, some netizens speculated that since “most passengers on the bus were wearing white shirts and dark pants,” these passengers might be government officials traveling together for a meeting or other official business.