One person is dead and 27 others were injured when a shuttle bus carrying Brandeis University students crashed into a tree late Saturday night in Waltham, Massachusetts, authorities said.
The Weston Fire Department confirmed there was a full mutual aid response near the Weston/Waltham line for what has been declared a mass casualty incident. Part of the roadway was blocked off, as emergency vehicles lined the streets, including many ambulances.
A spokesperson for Brandeis University released a statement several hours after the crash saying school officials had been informed that 27 people — mostly Brandeis students — were taken to area hospitals, and they were told one person had died from their injuries. There was no immediate update on any of the others’ conditions.
Julie Jette, Brandeis University’s assistant vice president of communications, said the shuttle bus contracted by Brandeis and was returning to campus from a Cambridge-Boston route when it crashed on South Street shortly.
In a statement released Sunday morning, the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office confirmed the shuttle bus was transporting 27 students to Brandeis from a hockey game at Northeastern University in Boston when it crashed just after 10:30 p.m. They said one student was pronounced dead on scene.
“The remaining 26 students and the driver of the bus sustained injuries of varying degrees and were all transported to area hospitals,” officials said in their statement.
Jette said authorities had not confirmed the identity of the person who died, while the district attorney’s office said no identities are being released at this time.
Waltham Fire Chief Andrew Mullin provided a brief update on the crash Sunday morning, saying “we did have an MCI [mass casualty incident] bus accident, we did have numerous injuries. It’s completely under investigation at this time. I don’t have much more to offer.”
Students, faculty and staff have been notified about what happened, Jette added, noting that the university is providing counseling and support and will continue to do so in the coming days.
Officials have not provided any details as to what caused the crash. It remains under investigation, the district attorney’s office said. No charges have been filed.
When an NBC10 Boston crew first arrived to the scene Saturday night, Weston Fire Chief Justin Woodside said that at least a dozen people were injured when the large bus carrying an unknown number of passengers crashed.
Video from the scene showed a badly damaged bus next to a pole in a residential area, with debris littering the roadway and multiple first responders and firefighters from Waltham, Weston and Newton working the scene. It appears the front end of the bus, which looked to have the most extensive damage, collided with a tree.
The bus came to a rest right near the sign for the Watermill Center, a six-story office building on South Street.
Several passengers were seen being wheeled away on stretchers, and crowds of people had gathered just outside the yellow police tape that was blocking off the active scene.
“I was inside and I heard a big crash and bang, and at first I wasn’t alarmed because there’s big trucks that go over a lot but then I heard glass breaking and so I came out and I saw all the trucks… people on the side of the road that were obviously very hurt,” said Meghan Jacobs, who just moved into the house across the street two weeks ago.
“There was lots of blood and people were obviously very hurt,” she added. “It’s very shocking, very shocking…it wasn’t expected obviously. It’s horrible, and I’m just praying for everybody.”
Jacobs said it looked like a bunch of college kids were on the bus. Brandeis University is located in Waltham, only about a half mile from where the bus crashed.
“It’s pretty horrifying, I feel terrible,” she added.
The bus belongs to Joseph’s Transportation, out of Medford, Massachusetts. NBC10 Boston has reached out to the transportation company for comment but has not heard back.
An investigation is ongoing. Anyone who may have witnessed the crash or has any information is asked to contact the Waltham Police Department at 781-314-3600.
