A shuttle bus crashed into a concrete wall along the Terminal B departures roadway at Newark Liberty International Airport shortly before 3:50 a.m. Monday, injuring 17 people and prompting an emergency response at the terminal. Emergency crews declared a mass-casualty incident at the scene near 3 Brewster Road, evaluating multiple passengers before sending the injured to University Hospital in Newark for treatment.
The crash injured 17 people, while RLS Media reported that 10 people had minor injuries and three others were seriously injured, according to RLS Media. That account differs somewhat from the injury information given by ABC7 New York, which reported 13 people injured, three of them seriously, while RLS Media reported that all injuries were non-life-threatening. The accounts reflect differing reports from the immediate aftermath of the crash.
The injured were taken to University Hospital in Newark for treatment, according to RLS Media's reporting.
Terminal B Departures Roadway Closure
The crash occurred on the Terminal B departures roadway, according to ABC7 New York.
Terminal B serves international carriers, including British Airways and TAP Air Portugal, and has a Global Entry enrollment center.
Passengers dealing with the closed roadway do have one workaround: the automated AirTrain EWR monorail, which connects Terminals A, B and C along with the parking garages and the airport's NJ Transit and Amtrak station, according to Avis's airport guide.
Open Questions Remain About the Bus and Driver
The circumstances of the crash remain unclear, and authorities were expected to investigate its cause, according to RLS Media.
Monday's wreck underscores the safety challenges posed by buses and other traffic on airport roadways.
The crash also highlights the importance of roadway safety around Newark Liberty.
Traffic moving through Newark Liberty underscores why roadway incidents can ripple quickly through operations. Even a single-vehicle crash can back up departures across an entire terminal.
