Three people are dead and 19 injured after a vehicle fire in northeast Calgary on Thursday, which police say involved two city buses and six other vehicles. Officers responded to the 800 block of Saddletowne Circle N.E. just after 1 p.m. for reports of a vehicle fire. Among the injured, one person has sustained life-altering injuries and at least 19 others were hurt, according to EMS spokesperson Adam Loria, who said 10 people were transported to various hospitals Thursday afternoon. He described five of the injured as being in non-life-threatening condition. They were cleared at the scene but taken to hospital as a precaution. A Calgary Police Service member also sustained minor injuries and was transported to hospital. According to Calgary police Staff Sgt. Andy Woodward, a bus travelling northbound collided with a white vehicle, which struck a black vehicle. Woodward said the white vehicle then collided with a cube van, before continuing into a collision with a second bus. The force of that caused the second bus to be pushed across the street, where it struck three other vehicles. “I’ve been a police officer for 36 years, and I think this is probably the biggest (crash) scene I’ve worked on,” Woodward said. Calgary Fire Department chief Steve Dongworth said 12 fire trucks responded to the fire shortly after 1 p.m. He said one of the buses was run on liquid natural gas. One bus driver was able to get out of the bus immediately, according to transit union president Mike Mahar. Mahar said the driver of the second bus was trapped and needed to be extricated. He was transported to hospital. His condition is unknown. All access to Saddletowne Circle is closed off at the moment. Police ask that motorists avoid the area. Woodward estimated the scene will be closed until at least 10 p.m. Calgary mayor Jeromy Farkas expressed his condolences on social media. “I’m heartbroken by the tragic collision involving two Calgary Transit buses near Saddletowne Station,” Farkas posted. “Three people have died and ten are injured, including a Calgary Police Service member who attended on scene. My deepest condolences to the families grieving. We will provide updates ASAP.”
