Fifteen people were taken to area hospitals Thursday morning after a Dallas Area Rapid Transit bus partially fell into a construction excavation when a roadway covering shifted on Harry Hines Boulevard, officials said.
The incident occurred shortly before 6 a.m. in the 6300 block of Harry Hines Boulevard near Exchange Parkway.
According to Dallas Fire-Rescue, emergency crews arrived to find that a metal plate covering an active construction area had shifted, exposing a hole in the roadway. A DART bus then entered the opening and became partially lodged in the excavation.
Seven rescue units and an EMS supervisor responded to the scene.
DART said a portion of the roadway gave way, causing the bus to partially enter the construction area.
A total of 15 people were transported to local hospitals for evaluation and treatment. DART officials said all injuries are believed to be minor.
Dallas Fire-Rescue said four patients were taken to Parkland Hospital, four to Baylor University Medical Center, and seven to Methodist Dallas Medical Center.
Conflicting accounts were initially provided regarding the number of people who declined medical care. Dallas Fire-Rescue reported that six people, including the bus driver, were injured but declined transport from the scene. DART later said there were 18 people on the bus at the time of the incident and that three people declined medical attention.
Officials have not released details about the specific injuries suffered by those hospitalized.
The cause of the roadway failure remains under investigation. Authorities have not identified the type of construction project underway at the site or explained why the metal plate moved out of place.
“The safety of our passengers, employees, and the public remains DART’s highest priority,” the transit agency said in a statement, per NBC 5 DFW. “DART is working closely with Dallas Fire-Rescue, the Dallas Police Department, and other responding agencies as they investigate the incident.”
Traffic in the area was impacted as emergency crews responded and investigators examined the scene.
