An Albuquerque woman is thanking her lucky stars this morning after her life was spared when a local public transportation metro bus was struck by a van experiencing brake failure and crashed into the front of her home.
At first, the woman thought the town had experienced an earthquake, but realized that the situation was far more serious once she heard the voices of the bus’s passengers in the room just a few feet away from her.
Eight people were injured – the bus driver, the passengers, the man driving the van and the owner of the home. Seven of them were transported to the hospital, but none of the injuries was serious.
Rhiannon Schroeder, a mayoral spokeswoman, said the city will not immediately release the name of the bus driver. Rick De Reyes, ABQ Ride spokesman, said the bus was a route 97 Zuni bus, which travels from Downtown to Zuni and Wyoming, and back.
The white van that crashed into the bus had a shattered front windshield and the front passenger side door was smashed in. It belongs to Carroll Plumbing & Heating.
Employee Joe Silva told the company’s owner Benjamin Carroll that he was driving to a job near Girard and Garfield when the brakes of the van failed. Carroll said Silva possibly suffered a broken leg and a concussion, but said he hadn’t yet spoken to him at the hospital Thursday afternoon.
“It’s tragic what happened,” said Carroll, who started his business nearly 50 years ago.
A few other employees showed up soon after the crash.
“He is a young man, he’s strong, so he should be OK,” employee Roger Paniagua said of Silva. “I just hope everyone else is all right. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.”