The trial of a Dublin Bus driver accused of dangerous driving causing the deaths of five people has been hearing from eyewitnesses, survivors and relatives of those who died in the tragedy three years ago.
Kenneth Henvey from Palmerstown in Dublin has pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving causing death at Wellington Quay on 21 February 2004.
An inspector who was manning the control system at the Dublin Bus garage on Conyngham Road in Dublin gave evidence of an alarm being activated at 1.17pm on the day in question.
Peter Casey said a driver came on the radio and said 'get me an ambulance, quick… after driving over people'.
The driver then continued: 'It's Ken, help me.' The inspector contacted the ambulance service, fire brigade and gardaí.
Mr Casey also gave evidence that around 20 years ago when he drove buses himself, his bus experienced a surge of power without him doing anything.
Another bus driver gave evidence of coming on the scene as he was preparing to go on duty.
Andrew Monaghan said he tried to keep Mr Henvey calm and eventually managed to persuade him to get off the bus.
Mr Monaghan said Mr Henvey told him that he got on the bus, put it in gear, and the bus just took off.
He said he had tried his best to stop it but the bus would not stop.
And he did not know which pedal he was pressing - the accelerator or the brake.
Margaret Duffy, a daughter of one of the five people killed in the accident, 59-year-old Margaret Traynor from Darndale, described seeing her mother lying in front of the number 66 bus, unconscious.
She was later pronounced dead at St Vincent's Hospital in Dublin.
23-year-old Karen Jeffers survived the accident.
She gave evidence that she had tried to run for her life but ended up pinned under the bus.
She said she estimated the bus driven by Mr Henvey had been doing 15 to 20 miles per hour as it came towards her.
She was pinned under the bus for 20 minutes before the bus was lifted and she was taken to hospital.
