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A bus crash in Pikesville, a suburb of Baltimore, left at least 28 people injured on Wednesday night (July 8). The Baltimore County Fire Department declared it a mass casualty incident. The crash involved a Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) bus, which collided with several cars before crashing into a building. One person is reported to be in critical condition.
The cause of the crash remains unknown, and several police and fire units are currently on the scene. The MTA bus was involved in a multi-vehicle incident, according to Jerimiah Moerke, a spokesperson for the Maryland Transit Administration. The bus first collided with a Lexus and then a Nissan before coming to a stop against a building at 500 West Franklin Street, as reported by ABC7 Chicago.
Kevin Cartwright, communications director for the Baltimore City Fire Department, stated that the incident was escalated to a level one mass casualty event due to the number of patients involved. Responders managed to remove the bus driver from the vehicle lodged into the building, and all injured individuals were transported to a hospital for treatment.
The Baltimore City Fire Department's special rescue operations team assessed the structural integrity of the four-story apartment building impacted by the crash. They determined that the building's support beams remained intact, although the first floor was condemned temporarily.
Authorities are urging motorists to avoid the area while emergency crews continue their work. The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing, with MTA Police, Baltimore City Fire Department, and building inspectors on the scene.