Authorities in Newark are investigating a bus crash that occurred in the city's downtown overnight.
According to a preliminary investigation by officials, the crash happened just before midnight at the intersection of Edison Place and Ailing Street where a host of emergency responders from University Hospital, Newark Fire Department, NPD and others rushed to the scene after receiving reports of a crash with injuries.
Crews arrived at the scene and found a bus -operated by The "Our Bus" Company- struck a bridge causing massive damage to the top of the bus. The bus appeared too high to clear the bridge according to an on-scene observation.
The bus was coming from Washington DC and arrived in Newark at approximately 11:40 p.m. with about 42-50 passengers onboard and several injuries reported.
According to several passengers on the bus, none of the injured appeared severe but preliminary reports say EMS transported about 25 to area hospitals suffering serious to minor injuries.
Officials from The Our Bus Company has not responded to media requests as of 2:30 a.m.
**UPDATE 3:46 a.m. OUR BUS COMPANY STATEMENT:** “At approximately 11:40 p.m., on Sunday, August 12, 2018, there was a collision, at the intersection of Edison Place and Alling Street in downtown Newark, New Jersey, between a bus and a low-hanging section of Pennsylvania Station.
The bus was being operated by Liberty Coach Inc., of Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, and was nearing the end of a trip that had originated at Union Station, in Washington, D.C., earlier that evening at 7:30 p.m., and was destined for Pennsylvania Station, in Newark, New Jersey, with a scheduled arrival time at 11:40 p.m. Liberty Coach Inc. is registered with, and authorized to transport passengers by, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
No crashes involving Liberty Coach Inc. had been reported to, or recorded by, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in the 24 months preceding the collision. Liberty Coach is currently investigating into the cause of the collision.
OurBus, Inc., of New York, New York, a broker for motor carriers of passengers, had arranged for passengers to travel on bus involved in the collision.
OurBus, Inc., is not, itself, a bus company, and was not involved in the operation of the bus.”
**UPDATE 4:05 a.m.** The Liberty Coach Inc., of Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, was successfully reached by phone at 570-234-0855 for a general statement or press release regarding the incident but a male call taker immediately stated “no comment” then abruptly hung the phone up.
**NEWARK POLICE STATEMENT 4:23a.m.** “The coach bus struck a bridge causing about 50 passengers on the bus to be treated at area hospitals. All of the victims will survive.”
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.