2 double-decker buses collide in Times Square
TIMES SQUARE (WABC) -- 15 people were injured Tuesday when two double-decker sightseeing buses collided on the east side of the TKTS booth in Times Square.
VIEW PICTURES FROM THE SCENE:
A preliminary investigation says the Gray Line tour bus was traveling southbound on 7th Avenue when it sideswiped a GMC Yukon and the CitySights bus.
The force of the crash brought down a light pole into the plaza next to the booth. The buses involved were a red Gray Line bus, and a blue CitySights bus.
14 of the injured were pedestrians, including a child in a stroller. Five were hit by the light pole and the other nine by debris. The other injured person was a tour guide on the Gray Line bus. None of the injuries are life-threatening.
PRESS CONFERENCE ON ACCIDENT:
A witness says the tour bus was speeding down 7th Avenue when she had to grab her daughter out of the way before the buses collided.
"The bus came at a very high rate of speed and landed right near my daughter," she said.
One of the drivers had to be extricated.
The glass in the front of one bus was shattered, and glass was strewn on the pavement.
Seventh Avenue was closed from 47th Street to 52nd Streets after the crash, but has been reopened.
All of the injured were taken to Mount Sinai Roosevelt for treatment.
Rose Cantillon was visiting the city from Ireland and was nearby.
"I was sitting on a bench, and I turned around and heard screaming, and I ran," she said.
An investigation is underway into the cause of the crash, with authorities checking surveillance cameras in the area. Both bus drivers were given breathalyzer tests at the scene. Both passed and also have driver's licenses in good order.
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EARTHCAM VIDEO OF POLE FALLING:
