One killed and three injured after bus ploughs through Dublin city centre

One person has been killed after a bus crashed in one of the busiest streets in Dublin’s city centre.

Three people have been injured in the crash in North Earl Street in the Irish capital with firefighters and paramedics putting up protective fencing around the scene.

The front window of a white double-decker bus was smashed after it ploughed through a crowd before coming to a stop by a lampost at 12.30pm on Thursday.

‘I regret to say that there has been a fatality there and three others have been taken to hospital,’ Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan told the Dáil.

‘Obviously our thoughts are with the family of the person who has been fatally injured, and indeed the people who are in hospital. We wish them well.’

Crowds of people were seen rushing to help the injured trapped underneath the bus. It is unclear how many people have been injured.

A local tour operator, based on North Earl Street, told Metro the area is extremely busy with tourists flocking to the Dublin portal and the James Joyce statue in the shadow of the Spire.

She said: ‘It was scary, it looks really bad.

‘I think somebody is seriously injured because there is a tent and ambulances but nobody is saying anything official.

‘The bus was coming out of Talbot but instead of turning it went straight into North Earl Street.’

She added: ‘During the moment people ran into help but the police shut everything down quickly.

‘It is such a busy area of Dublin. It is like the main street for us. I hope everyone is ok and the injured can recover.’

A mother and son said they were sitting in a nearby café when they heard what they first thought was ‘a bomb going off’.

‘We heard a massive bang and the lights flickered,’ the mother told the Irish Independent.

Her son ran out to help people trapped underneath the white bus at the ‘chaotic’ scene.

‘Crowds were gathering around and people were screaming. There were several people trapped and injured under the bus,’ he said.

North Earl Street has a historic statue of Irish author James Joyce and is where Dublin’s portal to New York is found.

Gardai said: ‘Gardaí and emergency services are at the scene of a serious road traffic incident involving a bus on North Earl Street, Dublin 1 today Thursday 5th February 2026.

‘Talbot Street is closed from Gardiner Street. Marlborough Street is closed from Cathal Brugha Street.

‘Local diversions are in place.’

Bus Éireann, who run the 103 service to Ratoath, said the bus ‘was not in service at the time’. 

Dublin Fire Brigade said it ‘received reports of a road traffic collision involving a bus and pedestrians’ shortly after 12.30pm.

It said: ‘In total, over 20 firefighter/paramedics and advanced paramedics responded on four engines, two emergency tenders with heavy rescue tools and an advanced paramedic response car. 

‘Two district officers also responded to the incident along with four ambulances and a rapid response vehicle from the National Ambulance Service.’

Lord Mayor of Dublin councillor Ray McAdam said: ‘My thoughts are with those who have been injured and with their families at this difficult time.

‘I want to reassure Dubliners that the situation is being actively managed, and I would ask the public to avoid the area to allow emergency services to carry out their work.’

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, who is an elected TD for Dublin Central, said she was ‘devastated’ to learn of the crash and thanked emergency responders.

‘My thoughts are with the family of the deceased and all of the people who were struck or caught up in this collision, with their families, friends, and loved ones, and with everyone affected by what must be a very frightening experience.’