30 people injured as FDNY truck collides with city bus in Brownsville, Brooklyn

[Trainspotter]

An FDNY truck rushing to a car fire slammed into a city bus at a Brooklyn intersection on Tuesday, injuring 30 people in a wreck of twisted metal.

 

The Ladder 103 truck was racing north on Mother Gaston Blvd. in Brownsville when it crossed the path of the B15 bus, officials said.

 

The vehicles hit with such force that the bus, its windshield shattered and front end crushed, careened onto the sidewalk and into concrete barriers alongside an apartment building.

 

"It sounded like a crumpled beer can," said witness Danny Gooden, 23. "People coming out of the bus were scared to death."

 

"People were yelling out, 'My leg, my leg' or 'My head,'" Gooden said. "I was like, this stuff is crazy."

 

Though two of the six men on the FDNY rig were briefly pinned in their truck, the firefighters quickly scrambled to help the bus passengers.

 

"I heard the impact and it sounded like an explosion," said witness Carlos Rodriguez, 23. "The firefighters took out a torch and burned the door off so people could get out."

 

Two firefighters with concussions were treated at Kings County Hospital.

 

FDNY investigators said Ladder 103 had its lights and sirens on when it entered the intersection about 11 a.m., though it was not clear which vehicle had the right of way.

 

The 22 bus passengers, the driver, and a pedestrian hit by debris were examined at local hospitals. None was critically injured.

 

By MIKE JACCARINO and JONATHAN LEMIRE

DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

December 16th 2008

[CPBO]

I am not saying who's at fault....but I must say the Firefighters do drive crazy at times......I was on the Bruckner and E. Tremont Stop on the QBX1 coming from Queens....and as I was pulling out of the stop this Fire truck was making the turn onto the Bruckner and he was flying.....as I was pulling out he blasted the siren and almost crashed into me....if I didn't stop....then he comes over the loud speaker and says don't ever cut me off again.....as I let this jerk go by.....he was in such a rush to get to the fire house to park the truck....he was not even going to a fire or anything......it must have been Miller time for the guy........

[RokuSix]

It's nearly impossible to place blame here. I think it's just best to be grateful that it wasn't worse..

 

But I do feel as if a lot of accidents are caused by emergency vehicles. Which...is kind of ironic.

[Novabus 5000]

bus 9484 which is a W/B was the bus

[RCVW]

...thank god no one was seriously injured.

[Cait Sith]

It's nearly impossible to place blame here. I think it's just best to be grateful that it wasn't worse..

 

But I do feel as if a lot of accidents are caused by emergency vehicles. Which...is kind of ironic.

 

Agreed 100%

[FamousNYLover]

Slightly little off-topic.

Lots of incident with emergency vehicles and commercial vehicles.

 

I still have memory of MCI bus losing out of control on SB FDR Drive.

I also have memory of ambulance-car accident, police car accident, FDNY truck accident.

 

I still remember Matthew Long Ladder 43 from El Barrio Bravest was biking to Fire Academy during transit strike and bus providing for company making illegal right turn.

 

I also still remember the incident about boy in Brooklyn got pull under the monster truck when it was turning right from 9th St to 4th Av.

 

Buses overturn, bus caught on fire, etc.

[T J Trainman]

Slight correction the bus is 9464.

[KeystoneRegional]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[Micstromme]

I saw this accident as it happened right outside of my house. That was the scariest thing I have seen in a very long time. I couldn't even go anywhere because that was too close to where I live. My mom was really frightened because she was walking out the building when the foundation rocked. I feel sorry for the bus driver and those people that were both on the buses and in the fire truck at the time of the incident. I really have to watch myself now when I come home at night with those B15 and B35 buses now.

 

And the worst part? Since that accident two days ago, drivers still race down that section like it is nothing. I do not feel safe crossing the street right there now and do not feel too safe on the B15 withthose hellchasing buses running like they are in a prize.

 

Nope, not a good moment for Noble Drew Ali Plaza, the Grand Avenue Depot that lost a bus in this, or the FDNY who suffered too. But mostly, my heart goes out to the passengers who must have been scaredas hell.