Newborn falls off a moving bus near Rome

Rome, Aug 1 (IANS/AKI) A two-month-old baby was taken to hospital in a critical condition after he fell out of a moving bus northeast of Rome, when the vehicle's doors suddenly opened, reports said on Tuesday.

The accident happened in the town of Guidonia when the baby's pram slammed against the doors of the bus as the driver turned a corner, the reports said.

The infant was take to Rome's Policlinico Hospital but is not in a critical condition.

Police are probing the incident, which happened on Monday and which consumer group Codacons decribed as "extremely serious".

Codacons' president Carlo Rienzi urged "an urgent and thorough investigation, especially of maintenance to its fleet carried out by bus company Cotral".

"Optimal safety on public transport must be guaranteed - in the interests of passengers," he said.

Police immediately seized the bus and its documentation, but said it was correctly insured and its paperwork was in order.

Their probe will focus on the technical causes of the accident, police said.

The bus was travelling to the nearby town of Tivoli.

--IANS/AKI

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