23 Injured When Bus Collides With Truck And Then A Missouri Building

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- A bus driver and 22 passengers were injured Monday when the bus crashed into a truck carrying flavored syrup near downtown St. Louis.

Firefighters had to cut away the steering wheel of the bus so the driver could be freed. She complained of leg injuries. The bus was operated by Metro, which provides bus and light-rail service in the St. Louis area.

All but one of the 23 passengers were taken to hospitals, but police said the injuries were not life-threatening. The truck driver was not injured.

The crash happened just before 6 p.m. west of downtown. Police Sgt. Paul Pfeiffer said the northbound bus hit an eastbound truck before crashing into the corner of a vacant building. Pfeiffer said witnesses told him that the bus had a green light.

Passenger Michael O'Neal said the impact ``shook us all up like rag dolls. We all got knocked back and forth in our seats.''

The back doors of the truck opened after the impact, spilling syrup around the accident scene.

Police spokesman Richard Wilkes said no citations had been issued.