Accident closes 270 northbound in MD...oh crap

[Terzo]

Story

One person is dead and 11 others injured after a tour bus crashed through a sky ramp, fell 45 feet and landed along the I-270 spur Wednesday afternoon, police say. One adult was killed in the accident Montgomery County Assistant Fire Chief Scott Graham tells WTOP.
Barton Leonard, an emergency physician at Suburban Hospital, says eight patients -- four kids -- were treated at the hospital. The kids are doing well and have family with them, Leonard says. Two adults identified as trauma patients are in fair condition.
Montgomery County Fire Capt. Oscar Garcia says the other patients were transported to a different Maryland hospital.
The bus was carrying at least 15 people, and Garcia says there were at least 10 to 15 people who were evaluated at the scene.
Crews had to cut four people who were trapped inside the bus, Garcia says.
The bus was traveling on a Beltway sky ramp when it went through a barrier and landed along the northbound spur of I-270 just north of Montgomery Mall around 4 p.m. Wednesday.
The white bus was sitting upright just over a jersey wall from a lane of I-270. Rescue workers propped up ladders to reach inside the shattered windows.
According to Garcia, other vehicles were involved in the accident, but it is unclear if they collided with the bus.
The bus appears to belong to Wolf's Bus Lines, a company based in York Springs, Pa. that offers tours into the D.C. area and elsewhere.
A woman who answered an emergency line at Wolf's Bus Lines would not confirm if the bus belonged to her company, but said she was only answering the phone for "family members."
Drivers should expect major delays in the area throughout the evening. Delays on the Capital Beltway from Virginia into Maryland are extensive.
The northbound I-270 spur is closed as a result of the accident.
Drivers cannot access northbound I-270 by using the River Road exit on the Capital Beltway. Drivers looking to head north must travel to the Old Georgetown Road Exit.
There is no access to the northbound I-270 spur from Democracy Boulevard. Graham says the closures are expected to remain for "quite some time."
The thru lanes near Route 355/Old Georgetown road leaving the Outer Loop to access northbound I-270 are open. The left flyover ramp - which carries HOV traffic - is closed as part of the investigation.
Both the Inner Loop and Outer Loop can be accessed from southbound 270.
Drivers can also use Route 355/Rockville Pike as an alternate route through the area.

Nearly 8:00 and the side streets are still jammed. I'm happy I don't have to go on 270, the drive back was bad enough as it was. While it sucked, I'm pretty sure there are tons more who have it worse atm, namely those who have to go north on 270.


How's everyone else doing?

 

[Anubis]

i saw 8 cars on my drive into work this morning

boonies FTW

 

[Terzo]

i saw 8 cars on my drive into work this morning

boonies FTW

Damn, that's impressive. I see that many before I leave the street.

 

[shocksyde]

I work right there. Left at 3 today, though. Whew.

 

[shocksyde]

Just so happens to be a traffic camera pointed at the scene

 

[olds]

Story




Nearly 8:00 and the side streets are still jammed. I'm happy I don't have to go on 270, the drive back was bad enough as it was. While it sucked, I'm pretty sure there are tons more who have it worse atm, namely those who have to go north on 270.


How's everyone else doing?

Like the people in the bus?

 

[Anubis]

Damn, that's impressive. I see that many before I leave the street.

whats more impressive is that i have a 45 mile commute

 

[bruceb]

Bad wreck. Link to correct camera that shows it.

http://www.chart.state.md.us/video/video.asp?feed=127

 

[Terzo]

Like the people in the bus?

Definitely. I always feel terrible when I'm stuck in traffic ranting about how people can't drive (and are probably rubbernecking somewhere) only to find out a serious accident with fatalities is the cause.

 

[mizzou]

wow dude, they really tore up that side rail

 

[mizzou]

I feel like I'm watching those builders on Fraggle Rock

 

[TheStu]

That bus was carrying a bunch of kids from one of the local middle schools here.

 

[Terzo]

I feel like I'm watching those builders on Fraggle Rock

That sounds interesting, I've never heard of it before. Considering this originally aired on HBO, was it a muppets show for adults? I wouldn't really associate HBO with kid's shows, but then again I don't watch HBO so I wouldn't really know.

 

[eits]

that's near my hometown