Tourist bus hits Paris bridge, at least four injured

An open-top double-decker tourist bus crashed into a central Paris bridge during an Olympic fun day on Friday, injuring at least four passengers, firefighters said.

The bus, with seating on the upper deck for sightseeing, was too high to pass under the Alexandre III bridge and scraped the roof of the tunnel before stopping after a few metres (yards).

The Paris fire service said a woman who was among those hurt had serious injuries.

However, Big Bus Tours, which offers sightseeing trips around Paris on open-top buses, denied there were any major injuries and promised a thorough probe.

"No victims are in a serious condition," it said in a statement. "We are currently conducting a thorough investigation into this incident and are working closely with the police."

The crash came during a large-scale event on the Seine to promote the French capital's bid to host the 2024 Olympics, with a floating running track installed across the river just next to the bridge.

A police source said the bus was not travelling along its usual route, having been diverted because of the Olympic event.

Paris police said signs warned drivers that oversized vehicles were not allowed under the bridge, and an alternative route was provided.

"Despite the presence of the signs the driver continued on toward the underpass," police said.

The ornate Alexandre III bridge over the River Seine is a magnet for tourists, especially honeymooners keen to take selfies with the Eiffel Tower in the background.

In 2008, a six-year-old boy and a 45-year-old man died after a tourist pleasure boat carrying 12 people sank in the Seine after hitting a bridge.