PIKESVILLE, Md. — We're learning more about a devastating crash involving an MTA bus that injured dozens in Pikesville on Wednesday.
According to Baltimore County police, at 6 p.m., the bus was traveling southbound in the 1500 block of Reisterstown Road when it struck several vehicles before losing control and crashing into a FedEx building.
Surveillance video obtained by WMAR-2 News shows the moments leading up to the crash.
36 injured in 12-vehicle Pikesville crash; MTA bus driver in critical condition
Police say 12 vehicles were involved in the collision, with 36 people suffering injuries, including the bus driver, who is in critical condition.
"The type of scene that is more associated with a war scene, but we're so happy that everyone survived. We're now working with first responders to try to get it back to a sense of normalcy for the community," said Joe Dixon, Baltimore County Fire Chief.
Bernie Troutner owns the Pikesville Bike Shop across the street from where the crash happened.
“I was standing at the counter and heard two booms and the lights flashed," Troutner said.
He immediately walked outside and started recording on his phone.
His video showed an extensive scene including an on site triage.
At one point, he walked up to a man who was injured in the crash, lying on the ground and groaning in pain.
“I could see that he wasn’t critically injured but he was definitely in some pain and we didn’t want him to move. We wanted him to stay still until the first responders got there.”
WMAR-2 News spoke with Yehoshya Bier, a personal injury attorney who works nearby.
"I've been handling accidents in Baltimore for probably 12 years, and I've never seen carnage like this right here in our backyard," said Bier.
Although the cause of the crash hasn't been released, it's bringing up questions with residents about traffic safety along that strech of road.
“Is it safe to walk around this area? Are we safe to walk in our streets? Is it safe to walk on the sidewalks? Is it safe to drive down this road," asked Dan Brody, President of the Pikesville Improvement Corporation.
He said that he and Tom Fekete, Vice President of the corporation, have been trying to make the area safer for drivers and pedestrians for years.
“There’s essentially a crash a day, but those are minor fender benders, but they cause a heck of a lot of problems because this is a very busy corner," Fekete said.
They've long been in talks with the State Highway Administration, sharing their ideas about what they think should be taken into consideration for changes to the corridor.
“Being able to walk across the street without feeling like you’re a trigger moving from one lane to the next. Another one is speed," Brody told WMAR-2 News, "The road unfortunately has close to about 20% going over the speed limit, so we really want to reduce that speed and look at ways that we can do that.”
Video footage showed the MTA bus ran through a red light and struck a white SUV.
RELATED: Mass casualty incident declared after bus crashes into Pikesville building, injuring 33 people
Following the crash, 15 ambulances, including units from Howard and Anne Arundel counties, responded to the scene to assist with transporting patients to area hospitals.
BGE also responded following reports of downed power lines in the area after the crash.
WMAR-2 News reached out to BGE for reports of any ongoing outages and repair work in the area and is waiting to hear back.
Both Governor Wes Moore and Baltimore County Councilman Julian Jones released statements following the mass casualty incident:
"Dawn and I are keeping everyone impacted in our hearts and prayers. We are deeply grateful for our first responders who acted with speed and skill to ensure the safety of our neighbors. We've been in close coordination with local officials to provide any support needed on the ground," said Governor Moore.
"A coordinated emergency response is well underway, and I have every confidence in the first responders working with urgency to rescue those in danger, care for the injured, and bring this emergency to a safe conclusion. My prayers are with everyone affected, especially the victims and their loved ones. I encourage residents to avoid the area and allow emergency crews the space they need to do their work safely," said Councilman Jones.
Police say the circumstances leading up to the crash remain under investigation.
