LONDON (AP) — Fifteen people were hospitalized Thursday after a double-decker bus mounted the sidewalk and crashed outside one of London's busiest railway stations.
Police said another two people were treated by medics at the scene of the crash near Victoria Station. None of the injures is believed to be life-threatening.
The driver of the route 24 bus was among the injured in the morning rush-hour collision.
Footage showed the bus stopped with a smashed windshield and emergency vehicles including police cars, ambulances and a fire engine in attendance.
Witness Emit Suker said the bus “was going really fast and came off the road."
“There were about 15, 16 people inside the bus. People were screaming – it was terrible,” Suker said.
The Metropolitan Police force appealed for witnesses to send in phone or dashcam footage as it investigates. There have been no arrests.
Victoria is a major rail, subway and bus hub not far from Buckingham Palace, and is usually thronged with commuters and tourists. Two pedestrians have been killed by buses near the station since 2021.
Emergency services at the scene on Allington Street, London, following an accident involving a double-decker bus, on Thursday Sept. 4, 2025. (James Manning/PA via AP)
Emergency services at the scene on Allington Street, London, following an accident involving a double-decker bus, on Thursday Sept. 4, 2025. (James Manning/PA via AP)
Emergency services at the scene on Allington Street, London, following an accident involving a double-decker bus, on Thursday Sept. 4, 2025. (James Manning/PA via AP)
KOHALA, Hawai‘i--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 15, 2026--
Kuleana Rum Works, the Hawai‘i-based distillery known for its additive-free, award-winning rums, today announced the release of “An Open Letter on Additive-Free Rum,” written by Founder & CEO Steve Jefferson, addressing why rum is now facing the same scrutiny and market shift that reshaped tequila a decade ago.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260107792953/en/
Consumers across spirits are demanding more honesty about how products are made. Additive-free labeling has already transformed tequila and is reshaping whiskey and RTDs. Drinkers now expect producers to protect natural flavor instead of masking it, and bartenders increasingly use transparency as a measure of quality. The letter positions rum as the next category entering this accountability cycle, as more consumers begin to question undisclosed sweeteners, flavorings and added color.
Tequila provides the clearest precedent. Producers who embraced additive-free methods helped premiumize the category, while brands relying on undisclosed additives now face growing skepticism. According to the letter, rum is approaching the same turning point. Jefferson explains that Kuleana Rum Works was founded on additive-free principles: growing heirloom Hawaiian kō (sugarcane), fermenting and distilling fresh juice at lower proof to preserve natural character, adding nothing after distillation and holding all blending partners to the same standards. Every rum — whether distilled in Hawai‘i or sourced — is verified additive-free through independent lab testing and supplier documentation.
“Consumer expectations are changing fast across spirits,” said Steve Jefferson, Founder and CEO of Kuleana Rum Works. “People want honesty in what they drink, and they’re rewarding producers who protect natural flavor rather than covering it up. Additive-free isn’t a trend — it’s becoming the standard, and rum is now facing that shift head-on.”
Additional detail in the letter underscores how production choices such as fresh juice fermentation, low-proof distillation and a strict no-additives policy create transparency and flavor integrity that align with what the market is valuing.
About Kuleana Rum Works
Founded on the island of Hawai‘i in 2013, Kuleana Rum Works crafts award-winning, additive-free rums — led by its signature Hawaiian Rum Agricole® — from fresh kō (heirloom Hawaiian sugarcane) grown on its regenerative Kohala farm. Now available in 17 states and Japan, Kuleana Rum Works champions excellence, transparency and community stewardship. Visit kuleanarum.com to learn more.
https://kuleanarum.com/additive-free/
