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Double-Decker Bus Hits Miami Airport Overpass, Killing 2 People and Injuring Dozens

Dec. 1, 2012 10:01am Madeleine Morgenstern

MIAMI (AP) — A bus carrying more than 30 people hit an overpass at Miami International Airport, killing two people on board and leaving three others critically injured, officials said Saturday.

The large, white bus was too tall for the 8-foot-6-inch entrance to the arrivals area, said airport spokesman Greg Chin. Buses are supposed to go through the departures area, which has a higher ceiling, he said.

Three people were at hospitals in critical condition. The other 27 passengers had been hurt, but their injuries were less extensive, authorities said.

Fire trucks and police cars swarmed the area Saturday morning, and the bus was blocked off by yellow police tape. A white cooler that had been filled with water bottles was on its side behind the bus, the front of which remained wedged beneath the overpass Saturday.

The bus was privately owned and typically used for tours, though police believe all the passengers were local residents, not tourists, said Miami-Dade police Lt. Rosanna Cordero-Stutz. The bus’ ultimate destination was not yet known, but the driver was unfamiliar with the area near the airport and did not intend to wind up at the arrivals area, Cordero-Stutz said. The driver was being interviewed by investigators, she said.

The bus was going about 20 mph when it hit the overpass Saturday morning, Chin said.

The bus resembles others commonly used for charters and tours, with the driver seated low to the ground and passenger seats in an elevated area behind the driver’s seat.

This post has been updated.

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Comments (22)

Windwalker
Posted on December 3, 2012 at 10:39pm
When the dust settles on this accident incident, like a lot of truck drivers possessing CDL licenses, authorities will find this driver was not proficient in speaking and reading English, Passengers tried to tell him he was heading the wrong way. Drivers licenses, INCLUDING CDL licenses are being issued to legal and illegal aliens. Interpretors are allowed for these people when they take the driving test. What a trajic joke. Road signs are in English. Recognizing what a red stop sign is should not cut it as far as being allowed behind the wheel of a vehicle. In this horrendous accident, the driver obviously could not read a sign indicating low clearance or he was not aware of the height of the vechicle he was driving. The owners of this transport company that hired this incompetent will be held financially responsible and my guess a class action law suit will see to that.

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FortLauderdaleDad
Posted on December 2, 2012 at 10:34pm
the construction contract for MIA went to the lowest bidder & the dade county geniuses built the arrivals area too short for motor coaches. can you imagine ANY other international air port in the USA where the actual arrivals area is inaccessible to motor coaches?

at least once a year, some bus driver sardine cans his bus….this is only in the national news because somebody died

a tip from a local….if you are coming to visit gorgeous south florida…..fly into Ft Lauderdale. it’s only 3 miles from the beach, everyone speaks english & the airport isnt run by a banana republic

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charles116
Posted on December 1, 2012 at 5:56pm
I hear the bridge is using a Stand Your Ground defense.

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flatbroke
Posted on December 1, 2012 at 3:00pm
Not funny, but this is why you dont let an Obama voter drive your bus!

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- rickc34
  Posted on December 1, 2012 at 4:20pm
  Yeah, so much for public education he couldn’t read the sign?
  
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- Hickory
  Posted on December 2, 2012 at 1:22pm
  He can’t read English…………….
  
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Eastinfection
Posted on December 1, 2012 at 2:51pm
Maybe he used to be a Turkish truck driver?

http://www.break.com/index/dump-truck-destroys-highway-bridge.html

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DEMOCRATS.ARE.EVIL
Posted on December 1, 2012 at 1:07pm
From The Smiths, “There is a Light That Never Goes Out”:

And if a double-decker bus
Crashes in to us
To die by your side
Is such a heavenly way to die

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gonetoworkbbackin5min
Posted on December 1, 2012 at 12:46pm
It’s not a “double-decker”. Its a normal 12’6″ bus. I’m often amazed at how disconnected you are. That being said, it is surely a case of extreme incompetence. Bus passengers could have been very loud and distracting. The cacophony seems to concentrate itself up front. Been there, done that. Driver *must* maintain composure and pay attention. 57 souls sit behind him.

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sirocco78
Posted on December 1, 2012 at 11:31am
100 dollars says the driver speaks very little if any english. probably had no idea what the height of his bus was and what the clearance sign for overpass even said.

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RJJinGadsden
Posted on December 1, 2012 at 11:13am
Finally found a site that has pics of the bus and the overpass. All that I can say is has too much PC caused the forced hiring of blind bus drivers? From the looks of this there should have been no question in the driver’s mind that the overpass was way too low! There was blood, but next there will be at least 32 law suits.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2241438/BREAKING-NEWS-At-dead-scores-injured-double-decker-bus-hits-overpass-Miami-Airport.html

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- The-Monk
  Posted on December 1, 2012 at 12:03pm
  Hi RJJ,
  
  Thanks for the link. Looks like the driver could have reached out his window and almost touched that bridge.
  
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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on December 1, 2012 at 12:13pm
  Hi MONK,
  Yeah, it really does. I’ll be surprised if the driver is not held criminally responsible when the investigation draws to a close.
  
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- kindling
  Posted on December 1, 2012 at 12:27pm
  Isn’t it sad that we have to go to the UK news to get what is going on here. They even had a story about what is going on in my neighborhood. I will read it here on Monday.
  
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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on December 1, 2012 at 12:40pm
  KINDLING, When I opened the search engine I must have opened almost a dozen stories before I found those pics. The CBS site had one pic that was very small, and did not show much. I was thinking the same thing as I read that story too.
  
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- The-Monk
  Posted on December 1, 2012 at 2:31pm
  Hi RJJ,
  
  Good luck with the game today !
  
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thegreatcarnac
Posted on December 1, 2012 at 11:00am
If no one had been hurt or killed…it would have been on youtube as a comedy. We have no one with any sense anymore.

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Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on December 1, 2012 at 10:46am
God be with the family of the one who is lost, and with the people injured plus their families and the ones caring for them.

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Bronco II
Posted on December 1, 2012 at 10:33am
My prayers with the families and pray for the injured that GOD will touch them with His loving healing hands.

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JACKTHETOAD
Posted on December 1, 2012 at 10:21am
Dear God, how stupid can you be? A short bus driver doesn’t work driving a tall bus. Pray for the dead and injured.

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- scuba13
  Posted on December 1, 2012 at 10:47am
  I didn’t know Encinom had a bus drivers license.
  
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- thegreatcarnac
  Posted on December 1, 2012 at 10:59am
  “short bus driver”,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,(smile) …he probably rode the short bus to school
  
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