San Francisco rail crash injures 40

SAN FRANCISCO, July 18 (UPI) -- Two light rail trains collided in San Francisco Saturday, injuring more than 40 people, authorities said.

One San Francisco Municipal Railway train rear-ended another just before 3 p.m. PDT, railway spokesman Judson True told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Ambulances took 23 people to hospitals, including the driver of the L train, who was seriously injured when the train rear-ended another train at the West Portal Station, Deputy Fire Chief Pat Gardner said. Two other passengers suffered serious injuries, Gardner said.

Another 20 victims had moderate injuries and were able to walk to a municipal bus, which took them to a hospital, Gardner said.

Witnesses recalled a bang that sounded like an explosion, a plume of dark smoke rising and bleeding victims screaming and falling to the floor of trains.

True said officials have not determined the cause of the crash.

"We will look at everything from mechanical issues to human error," he said.

The collision forced the system, known as "Muni," to halt service in both directions in the area. Buses transported people between closed rail stops.