At least 55 people were injured, two of them seriously, in a collision between a Metro light rail train and a University of Southern California shuttle bus in downtown Los Angeles. The crash occurred on Exposition Boulevard near the USC campus and Natural History Museum. Two victims were hospitalized with serious injuries, while 16 others were in fair condition and 37 were treated at the scene. The incident occurred when the bus crossed into the path of an E Line train, which runs from East Los Angeles to downtown Santa Monica without gates at all crossings.
Genesis Hernandez, a college student who witnessed the aftermath of the crash from a nearby platform, described seeing a lot of ambulances passing by and noticing the front end of the bus was crushed. The bus had collided with the first car of the train, causing significant damage to the front section of the bus. The Starcraft 40-passenger bus was traveling westbound on Exposition Boulevard with only the driver and one passenger on board at the time of the accident. Both the bus driver and passenger were among the most severely injured, while there were over 150 passengers on the Santa Monica-bound Metro train.
Television news footage showed the left side of the bus smashed against the train, with the front section of the bus sustaining significant damage. Exposition Boulevard was closed in both directions as authorities conducted their investigation, with limited train service and buses being used to transport passengers through the crash area. Dave Sotero, a spokesperson for L.A. Metro, expressed sympathy for those injured in the accident and stated that the Los Angeles Police Department would be leading the investigation. The incident highlighted the potential risks associated with the presence of trains and buses on crowded urban streets.
The collision between the Metro train and USC shuttle bus raised concerns about safety protocols and infrastructure along the E Line route, which travels through various busy areas in Los Angeles. The lack of gates at some crossings, coupled with the potential for human error, could pose challenges for ensuring the safety of passengers and pedestrians. The severity of the injuries suffered by individuals on the bus and train underscored the need for thorough investigations and continued efforts to minimize the risk of future accidents.
As authorities worked to determine the cause of the collision, questions were raised about the training and oversight of bus and train operators, as well as the visibility and functionality of warning signals and barriers at railway crossings. Both L.A. Metro and USC Transportation pledged to cooperate fully with investigators and take any necessary steps to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. The aftermath of the crash served as a sobering reminder of the potential dangers associated with public transportation and the importance of prioritizing safety measures in densely populated urban areas.
Efforts were underway to assist those affected by the collision, including providing medical care to the injured and support to passengers who may have been traumatized by the incident. The closure of Exposition Boulevard and the disruption to train service served as a reminder of the wider impact of such accidents on traffic flow and public transportation systems. Moving forward, stakeholders were expected to review the circumstances surrounding the crash and implement any changes deemed necessary to enhance safety and prevent similar incidents from happening again in the future.
