On July 8, authorities said nearly 30 people were taken to the hospital after a bus crashed into a building and involved several other vehicles in Maryland.
The Baltimore County Fire Department received a report of a bus accident on July 8 just before 6 p.m., Fire Chief Joseph Dixon told reporters. The incident occurred in the 1500 block of Reisterstown Road in Pikesville, a community of about 34,000 people on the outskirts of Baltimore City.
Photos showed the bus crashing into a corner of the building that houses the FedEx Office printing and shipping center, leaving debris scattered on the sidewalk and road. Several vehicles were found to have suffered major damage, including overturning on the road. About 12 vehicles were involved, Dixon said.
Mr Dixon said it was “more like a war scene” and called the incident “serious”.
A second-alarm mass casualty incident was declared, according to the fire department. One person was trapped in the bus and the other in the car. According to the fire department, the patient in critical condition was rescued at 6:47 p.m. A total of 33 people were transported for treatment. Officials did not say how many patients were on the bus or car or whether there were any injured people inside the building.
Dixon said most of the injuries were minor, but at least one person had to be airlifted after being rescued from the scene. More than 100 first responders were involved in the response and rescue efforts, Dixon said.
The fire department also said the crash caused wires to snap. According to the Maryland State Highway Administration, all lanes of Maryland Route 140 at Reisterstown Road were closed due to the accident, but were reopened around 3:05 a.m. on July 9.
Dixon said the cause of the crash was unknown as of the evening of July 8 and is currently under investigation.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said he was monitoring the crash.
“Dawn and I share in our hearts and prayers this is impacting everyone. We are deeply grateful to the first responders who acted quickly and skillfully to ensure the safety of our neighbors. We have been working closely with local authorities to provide needed assistance on the ground,” Moore said.
