It is most likely a technical malfunction, judging by the video surveillance cameras, but this will be proven by the appointed technical experts. This was said by the director of the SDVR, Chief Commissioner Nikolay Peltekov, at a briefing to journalists in connection with the accident that occurred today on Tsarigradsko Shose Blvd. in Sofia, where a public transport bus on line 204 went over the guardrail and entered oncoming traffic.
Five people were injured in the incident and were transported to Sofia hospitals, the Sofia Municipality announced.
There are apparently injuries to the tires, but the investigation will determine whether they were a result of the incident, he added.
According to the bus driver, the cause was a technical malfunction, Peltekov added. The driver was tested for alcohol and drugs. Both tests were negative.
The CCTV cameras show that the bus starts to veer and swerve along the roadway and the entire bus turns, then enters the guardrail and breaks it, he said.
The bus driver is 59 years old with experience as a driver in public transport. Back in time, he had three minor traffic accidents and 4 speeding tickets.
The bus passed a technical inspection only a week ago and according to the inspection data, the bus was in good condition.
During the pre-trial proceedings, the relevant documentation will be requested, expert opinions will be appointed and it will be proven whether the technical inspection was carried out correctly. "The documents may show that everything is in order, but when the technical equipment's expertise shows that it is not in order, whoever prepared the document that it is in order will bear the corresponding consequences", said the director of the SDVR.
The Sofia Municipality will demand from "Stolich Autotransport" a full investigation of the causes and circumstances that led to the traffic accident with a bus on route 204. The Municipality offers its sincere apologies to the victims and all citizens affected by the incident, and we hope that they will recover.
According to data from „Stolichne avtomobil“ the bus with inventory number 3310 passed an annual technical inspection on July 21, 2026, and on June 25, 2026, technical maintenance was performed.
The video surveillance recordings are yet to be reviewed. At the moment, they cannot be downloaded from the bus due to a detected fuel leak.
According to information from „Stolichne avtomobil“ the driver had three consecutive days off – from 22 to 24 July 2026, followed by two days of weekly rest – 25 and 26 July. On 27 July he started his first shift.
Traffic is temporarily diverted via the roundabout at “4th kilometre“.