A private bus whose brakes had stopped working rammed into a roadside railing in Ultadanga early on Friday, killing two men and injuring a woman.

The bus, plying on route No. 46, was headed towards Babughat from the airport. Its brakes failed after it crossed the bridge on VIP Road near the Ultadanga crossing around 6.55am, police said.

“On seeing the bus zigzag down the busy stretch, people started running away. The bus veered left and smashed into roadside railings after hitting 40-year-old newspaper vendor Ashit Pal and Keya Begum, a pedestrian in her mid-60s. A 51-year-old passenger of the bus, Sushil Dey, suffered injuries in his head when the bus suddenly stopped after hitting the railing,” said an officer of the traffic department.

Pal was rushed to RG Kar Medical College and Hospital where he was declared dead. The two injured were admitted to Maniktala ESI Hospital, where Dey succumbed to his injuries.

“Dey was sitting in the bus. He was thrown off his seat when the vehicle rammed into the railings. Dey fell unconscious after his head hit an iron rod in the bus,” said the officer.

About 300 residents assembled on the spot after the accident. “The situation remained under control because we got there in time,” said an officer of Maniktala police station.

Jawed Shamim, the deputy commissioner (detective department), said the mishap was caused by a sudden brake failure.

“The driver tried his best to avoid the mishap. Finding no way to stop the bus, he decided to hit the railings. Otherwise the bus would have mowed down other pedestrians on the road and claimed more lives,” said an officer of the traffic department’s fatal squad.