A four-year-old boy died after running into the path of a bus outside a Kent hospital while reportedly playing chase with his brother, an inquest has heard. Zaahir Jan Feizi, from Canterbury, was visiting his grandmother at Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate when the tragedy happened shortly after 4pm on August 7 last year. The youngster ran from the hospital exit towards a zebra crossing close to the A&E entrance as a single-decker Stagecoach bus began moving. Despite travelling at only around 5mph, the bus struck Zaahir. He was immediately taken inside the hospital for emergency treatment but could not be saved.
The bus had stopped for an elderly pedestrian
An inquest at Oakwood House in Maidstone examined CCTV, witness accounts and evidence from the bus driver, who was granted anonymity and referred to during proceedings as Witness A. The driver told the hearing they had stopped the bus after seeing an elderly man, Mr Abbott, attempting to cross the road with a walking stick. After waiting for him to cross safely, the driver began pulling away again. Almost immediately, the driver heard a young boy screaming for the bus to stop before feeling a bump. The vehicle was stopped and its handbrake applied. The driver told the inquest that Zaahir had not been visible before the collision.
CCTV examined by collision investigators
Police serious collision investigators arrived at the hospital within minutes and were able to review CCTV covering the entrance, exit and surrounding roadway. DC Victoria Steward told the inquest that the footage showed Zaahir running from the hospital exit without stopping before entering the road. At almost exactly the same time, the bus had started moving after allowing Mr Abbott to cross. Investigators concluded there was no way the driver could have seen Zaahir as he ran out. Mr Abbott described turning after noticing the child, but events happened too quickly for anyone nearby to intervene. He also recalled seeing Zaahir apparently trying to dig his feet into the ground in an attempt to stop himself before the collision.
No evidence driver committed an offence
Police found no evidence that the bus driver had committed a criminal offence. The inquest also considered whether fatigue, distraction or impairment could have contributed to the collision. Coroner Sarah Clarke found no evidence the driver had been impaired or distracted. Zaahir suffered multiple internal injuries, and the coroner concluded that the driver could not reasonably have avoided the collision. His death was formally recorded as an accident.
Safety changes made outside hospital
Zaahir’s mother, Azaria Green, attended the inquest. The hearing was told that changes have since been made to the area where her son was struck. Road markings outside the QEQM Hospital entrance have been altered and railings installed in an effort to prevent a similar incident. Stagecoach said it remained deeply saddened by Zaahir’s death and that its thoughts remained with his family and everyone affected.
Originally published by UKNIP.
