NEW YORK — At least 18 people were hospitalized and more than 60 others requested an evaluation for injuries after a city bus and a double-decker tour bus collided on a Manhattan street Thursday evening, officials said at the scene.
An MTA X27 bus and a double-decker tour bus collided at East 23rd Street and First Avenue in Gramercy at about 7:17 p.m. Eastern time, FDNY officials and an MTA spokeswoman said.
FDNY sources told WABC-TV that the tour bus ran a red light heading north on First Avenue and T-boned the MTA bus, which had the right of way, in the intersection.
First responders arrived to find an egress damaged on the tour bus and resorted to lowering injured passengers on the bus’ second level using ropes and ladders.
The 18 people hospitalized are not facing life-threatening injuries, said Deputy Chief Paul Hopper of EMS Division 1.
“Many injuries are just cuts, bruises, scrapes, some suspected fractures, some head and neck injuries as well,” he said at the scene.
“We are evaluating approximately 63 additional people. Both buses seem to have been fairly fully occupied,” Hopper said. “That number may fluctuate a little bit down and hopefully no one else will come out as seriously injured.”
“Anytime you have two buses involved, you have a significant number of patients that likely need to be treated,” FDNY Deputy Chief Kevin Murphy added.
There was a doctor on scene evaluating patients Thursday evening, Hopper said.
“We’re all quite fortunate it was not much worse,” he added.
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