LOS ANGELES (AP) — A collision between a Metro light rail train and a University of Southern California shuttle bus in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday left at least 55 people injured, with two individuals sustaining serious injuries, according to officials.
The incident occurred shortly before noon along Exposition Boulevard, near the USC campus and Natural History Museum, as reported by the LA Fire Department. Two victims were hospitalized with serious injuries, while 16 others were transported in fair condition, with an additional 37 individuals receiving treatment at the scene.
According to Dave Sotero, a spokesperson for LA Metro, the bus crossed into the path of an E Line train, which operates from East Los Angeles to downtown Santa Monica along streets that do not have gates at all crossings.
Witness Genesis Hernandez, a 19-year-old college student, described seeing a fleet of ambulances rushing to the scene as she was transferring from a Metro bus to catch the E Line to Santa Monica. She observed significant damage to the front end of the bus, while the train appeared less affected.
Television footage displayed the left side of the bus crushed against the first car of the train, with the bus's front section sustaining notable damage. The USC Transportation statement revealed that the 40-passenger bus was carrying only the driver and one passenger at the time of the collision, and these two individuals were the most severely injured.
Over 150 passengers were on the Santa Monica-bound Metro train during the incident. The Los Angeles Police Department will lead the investigation into the collision, as confirmed by Sotero.
Metro expressed its condolences to those injured in the accident and announced the closure of Exposition Boulevard in both directions for the initial investigation. Train services will be limited, with buses deployed to transport passengers through the affected area.
