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Omaha Steve

(99,704 posts) Sat Feb 2, 2013, 11:58 PM Feb 2013

Bus hits overpass in Boston, injuring more than 30

Source: AP-Excite

BOSTON (AP) - A charter bus carrying high school students from Pennsylvania crashed when it attempted to pass under a bridge in Boston on Saturday night, injuring more than 30 people, several seriously, and leaving some trapped inside for hours, authorities said.

The bus carrying 42 students and adult chaperones was coming from Harvard University and heading back to the Philadelphia area when it struck an overpass on Soldier's Field Road, a major crosstown road, according to Massachusetts State Police.

Authorities said the Calvary Coach bus did not belong on that road and state police were investigating whether charges are warranted against the driver, who apparently failed to see a sign prohibiting the vehicle from taking that route.

A spokesman for the Philadelphia-based bus company had no immediate comment.

FULL story at link.

Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20130203/DA46TO8O3.html

In this photo released by the Boston Fire Department via Twitter, firemen work to remove injured passengers from a bus that hit an bridge as it traveled along Soldiers Field Road in the Allston neighborhood of Boston Saturday night, Feb. 2, 2013. Officials said the bus carryinyg 42 people was traveling from Harvard University home to Pennsylvania when it struck the overpass. (AP Photo/Boston Fire Department)

9 replies

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Bus hits overpass in Boston, injuring more than 30 (Original Post) Omaha Steve Feb 2013 OP

Damn. Probably didn't notice the height restrictions before they got to the bridge. Gormy Cuss Feb 2013 #1

It certainly does. R. Daneel Olivaw Feb 2013 #2

I'm in a different country entirely and have heard of that overpass Posteritatis Feb 2013 #3

And what hint is that???? whistler162 Feb 2013 #4

I feel sorry for the driver One_Life_To_Give Feb 2013 #5

ok warrior1 Feb 2013 #6

that is one messed up picture...no blood, and the person is gripping the fireman snooper2 Feb 2013 #7

This happens here EVERY YEAR WilliamPitt Feb 2013 #8

Is that bridge anything like this one in Durham, North Carolina? Art_from_Ark Feb 2013 #9

Gormy Cuss

(30,884 posts)

1. Damn. Probably didn't notice the height restrictions before they got to the bridge.

Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Sun Feb 3, 2013, 12:02 AM

Feb 2013

Last edited Sun Feb 3, 2013, 02:39 AM - Edit history (1)

This happens all too often on that stretch of road.

R. Daneel Olivaw

(12,606 posts)

2. It certainly does.

Reply to Gormy Cuss (Reply #1)

Sun Feb 3, 2013, 12:43 AM

Feb 2013

I've seen a few of these disasters when I worked/commuted to Back Bay in the 90s.

Posteritatis

(18,807 posts)

3. I'm in a different country entirely and have heard of that overpass

Reply to R. Daneel Olivaw (Reply #2)

Sun Feb 3, 2013, 01:42 PM

Feb 2013

When an overpass guillotines enough vehicles that it gets an international reputation the body responsible for roads in that neck of the woods might consider taking a hint..

whistler162

(11,155 posts)

4. And what hint is that????

Reply to Posteritatis (Reply #3)

Sun Feb 3, 2013, 05:39 PM

Feb 2013

maybe putting up signs saying HEY MORONS READ THE HEIGHT SIGN!

This happened, with fatalities, in my area with a Megabus and happens frequently with tractor trailers. In most of these locations the bridge can't be raised and the road bed can't be lowered.

One_Life_To_Give

(6,036 posts)

5. I feel sorry for the driver

Reply to Gormy Cuss (Reply #1)

Mon Feb 4, 2013, 11:13 AM

Feb 2013

Welcome to Boston. We won't let you easily merge 40+ft of bus between lanes. And we have major thoroughfares that don't have 13'6" clearance.

warrior1

(12,325 posts)

6. ok

Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Mon Feb 4, 2013, 12:02 PM

Feb 2013

where is that persons head?

snooper2

(30,151 posts)

7. that is one messed up picture...no blood, and the person is gripping the fireman

Reply to warrior1 (Reply #6)

Mon Feb 4, 2013, 12:17 PM

Feb 2013

like, get me out of here.. and grab my head when you get a chance

WilliamPitt

(58,179 posts)

8. This happens here EVERY YEAR

Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Mon Feb 4, 2013, 12:45 PM

Feb 2013

Though not nearly so dramatically. Soldiers Field Road/Storrow Drive is a main artery along the Charles through the city, especially for BC and BU...but all the bridges are too low for moving trucks...so every September, like clockwork, some students new to town with a U-Haul who can't read the HUGE SIGNS get stuck under a bridge. The cops come, deflate the tires on the truck, push it through the tunnel, reinflate the tires, and get it off the road via the closest exit. When it happens, it's like a bomb went off on the road vis a vis how traffic i9s affected.

I can't emphasize enough how big the bridge height signs are. I've had smaller apartments.

This, however, was extra bad. Happened about two minutes from my home.