2 children dead, 6 injured after bus crashes into daycare in Canada

A city bus crashed into a daycare centre north of Montreal on Wednesday, leaving two children dead and sending six to the hospital, authorities said.

The bus driver was arrested and charged with homicide and careless driving.

Police set up a large perimeter around the building housing the daycare in Laval, Quebec, and panicked parents who ran to the centre were diverted to a nearby elementary school.

Dozens of police and emergency vehicles lined the blocked-off road leading to the daycare.

An eyewitness said that immediately after the crash, the driver stepped out of the bus, ripped his clothes off and started screaming.

“He was just yelling; there were no words coming out of his mouth,” said Hamdi Benchaabane.

The driver is 51, had worked for Societe de transport de Laval for 10 years, and had no criminal history and a clean work record, police officials and Laval Mayor Stéphane Boyer said at two separate news conferences.

“As of now, we don't know the motive for the crime,” Police spokesperson Erika Landry said.

She did not say why police determined the crash to be a homicide and didn't release the driver's name.

Laval Police Chief Pierre Brochet said police are interviewing the driver.

“There is a theory that it was an intentional act, but that remains to be confirmed by the investigation,” Boyer said.

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