SUV in Trolley Collision Was Stolen; 30 Injured in Southwest Philly
So many people unnecessarily hurt days before Christmas. I hope for quick recovery of all involved in this tragedy. pic.twitter.com/RKdTflDyjp
— Thomas J. Nestel III (@TNestel3) December 23, 2015
A collision between a stolen SUV and a SEPTA trolley in Southwest Philadelphia has sent 27 trolley passengers, the trolley operator, and the occupants of the SUV to local hospitals and disrupted service on trolley Route 36.
According to a Philadelphia Police report, at 9:27 a.m., two men in a stolen Hyundai Tucson SUV were traveling southbound on 49th Street, attempting to turn right onto Grays Avenue, when they collided head-on with an inbound Route 36 trolley. One of the occupants of the SUV was trapped inside by the crash and had to be extracted from the vehicle. Both men were apprehended at the scene and transported by Philadelphia Fire Department medic units to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where police report they are in extremely critical condition.
SEPTA reports that the operator of the trolley and 27 passengers aboard were transported to Hahnemann and University of Pennsylvania hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries. No further information as to the status of the passengers is available at this time.
SEPTA is running shuttle buses on Route 36 between 49th Street and Woodland Avenue and the end of the line at 80th Street and Eastwick Avenue until the wreckage can be cleared and normal trolley service restored.
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