Three people were killed and 19 injured Thursday in a fiery, mid-day chain reaction crash on a busy north end street that left two Calgary transit buses on fire, authorities said.
Police Staff Sgt. Andy Woodward said the tragedy appears to have begun after a transit bus slammed into a car that then hit other vehicles.
He said the bus then bounced from that crash, through the intersection and hit a parked transit bus at a bus stop, setting off a fire and sending the second bus across the road to collide with three more vehicles.
He said the second bus was powered by natural gas, which is believed to have caused the fire.
Video and photos circulating online showed the second bus with its roof completely on fire as thick smoke billowed skyward.
The front end of the bus that set off the chain reaction crash appeared crumpled and smashed, its steering wheel hanging out below a tuft of flames.
“I’ve been a police officer for 36 years and I think this is probably the biggest scene I’ve worked on in relation to the collision we’ve got here,” Woodward said.
EMS spokesperson Adam Loria said 19 people were injured in all, including 10 who were taken to hospital via ambulance and the three deceased.
A police officer was also injured and sent to hospital.
“It was a very busy scene,” Loria said.
Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas said on social media that there will be a full investigation into what happened.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith shared condolences online.
“My sincere thoughts are with the families of those who died and with everyone injured,” she said.
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