A Sunday afternoon bus trip in Green Bay turned chaotic when a tour bus carrying dozens of people left Interstate 43 and smashed into a building near Bay Beach, leaving multiple passengers with non-life-threatening injuries. First responders quickly ramped up the incident to a second alarm to handle the number of patients and challenging scene conditions. Officials have not yet said what caused the crash as police and state troopers remained on site while crews treated the injured.
Green Bay Metro Police and the Wisconsin State Patrol were among the agencies responding. Early reports indicated that 15 to 20 people on the bus suffered non-life-threatening injuries, according to FOX 11. The station reported that its crew was headed to the scene and would share updates as officials released more information.
According to FOX6 News Milwaukee, MABAS Wisconsin reported the crash occurred around 2:56 p.m. near Angie Avenue and Bay Beach, with 54 passengers on board at the time. FOX6 also noted that emergency crews elevated the incident to a second alarm to coordinate the large multi-agency response.
What the second alarm means
The Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, or MABAS, coordinates multi-jurisdictional fire and EMS responses across Wisconsin. A second alarm typically brings in more ambulances and fire units from neighboring departments, according to MABAS Wisconsin. That tiered system is designed to ensure enough personnel and equipment are available to triage and transport multiple patients from a single incident.
Authorities have not released further details about the cause of the crash or the condition of all passengers. Investigators from the Wisconsin State Patrol and Green Bay Metro Police are expected to take the lead on any formal inquiry, according to FOX6 News Milwaukee. Local coverage described a substantial emergency presence as crews worked to stabilize patients and transport them to area hospitals.
FOX 11 reported it had a team en route and would update its reporting as officials share more information. This story will be updated as agencies release additional details.
