Woman pinned under bus after being struck in crosswalk, rescued by firefighters in Connecticut
STAMFORD, Connecticut (WABC) -- A 28-year-old woman who was struck by a bus and pinned underneath it is recovering after she was rescued by firefighters in Connecticut Tuesday.
It happened around 3 p.m. at the intersection of Broad and Atlantic streets in Stamford, as the woman was crossing with the pedestrian walk sign illuminated.
"I saw people screaming, the bus had run over a young girl," one witness said. "The driver came out screaming, the people in the bus were screaming...it was horrible because I could see her trapped underneath."
Firefighters arrived on scene in less than two minutes and found the woman under the front axle of a tandem-style Connecticut Transit bus.
"It was horrible; we didn't know if she was going to make it," the witness said. "It was a horror movie. This is human being trapped under a huge bus."
The woman was conscious, alert and able to talk with firefighters.
"I looked under the bus to see her, I was expecting far greater injuries," Deputy Chief Matt Palmer said. "To my surprise, she was calm, communicative."
Firefighters immediately went to work to begin the difficult extrication process, which involved stabilizing the bus and lifting it using high-pressure air bags.
"We lifted the bus a couple of inches, she got her arms out underneath her," Stamford firefighter Nicholas DeAngelo said. "There were about four guys underneath, and we slowly dragged her out."
Due to the efforts of firefighters, the woman was safely removed from under the bus in less than 10 minutes.
The fire department posted video of the rescue on its Facebook page.
The victim was transported to Stamford Hospital for evaluation and care of her injuries.
Her boyfriend tells Eyewitness News she has cuts and bruises, but amazingly, no broken bones.
She was discharged from the hospital Tuesday night and is resting at home.
"This was a valiant and flawless effort by Stamford firefighters that demonstrates their exceptional talents and the department's capabilities," Palmer said. "Given the size and weight of this bus, we are very grateful that her injuries were not more serious."
The bus driver, who told police he didn't see the woman until it was too late, was given an infraction ticket for failing to grant the right of way to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
Stamford police is handling the investigation.
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