Updated February 11, 2018 07:57:39

Photo: Firefighters had to cut open the roof of the bus to free trapped passengers. (Reuters: Bobby Yip)

At least 18 people have died and 47 injured in a high-speed bus crash in Hong Kong, in one of the city's worst traffic disasters in recent years.

Television footage showed the mangled remains of the bus as it lay toppled on the side of a major highway in the northern reaches of the city.

Photo: Rescue workers cut the roof off the bus to get to survivors trapped inside. (Facebook: Max Lee)

Firefighters on the scene cut open the bus roof to free passengers still trapped inside.

Some victims were laid out nearby beneath sheets by emergency workers.

Police said at least 18 people — three women and 15 men — were confirmed dead on the scene.

Dozens more were hurt, some sitting hunched on the highway with blood streaming from their injuries.

One elderly man interviewed on television said the driver had been going extremely fast at the time of the accident, even taking bends at high speed.

An executive surnamed So, with The Kowloon Motor Bus Co that operated the bus, said $HK80,000 ($13,094) in financial assistance would be paid to the families of each victim.

The company said it would also set up an investigation team to probe the cause of the crash.

Local media said it was the Asian financial centre's deadliest traffic accident since a 2003 bus accident that killed 21.

Photo: 18 died in the crash. (Reuters: Bobby Yip)

AP/Reuters

Topics: disasters-and-accidents, road, hong-kong, asia, pacific

First posted February 11, 2018 01:28:05