PASSENGERS thought a bomb had gone off when the front windows of their bus shattered and the side was ripped off the vehicle.

On the day the world marked the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, the 229 London Central bus was involved in an frightening crash on Erith Road in Barnehurst.

Skid marks and shards of glass and broken metal were left scattered across the road after the bus hit a lamppost, before dragging part of the light fitting down the road.

The main structure of the vehicle remained intact and eye witnesses said no other vehicles were involved in the accident at about 2.40pm on Monday.

One said: “I was inside when it happened and heard a terrible crash. It sounded horrendous. I looked out the window, not sure what I was going to find.

“I went out and saw about 50 passengers getting off the bus. Most of them were elderly and they looked traumatised. They said they thought a bomb had gone off.”

Another witness said: “Considering the state of the bus, it’s a wonder no-one was seriously hurt. It looks a right mess.”

A London Ambulance spokesman said six walking wounded and two patients complaining of back pain needed treatment. Five were taken to Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup, with possible whiplash and shock.

The bus and CCTV images are currently being assessed by accident investigators and the driver is due to be interviewed by police and bus company officials as part of the probe into the cause of the accident.

London Central commercial manager Colin Farrant said: “We very much regret that five passengers had to receive medical attention resulting from the collision, although the construction of the bus did withstand a lot of the impact and protected many of the passengers on board.”