HELL’S KITCHEN — A bus hit two Spanish tourists as they crossed a street in Hell's Kitchen Monday morning, fire and police officials said.
The unidentified victims, both women in their 60s, suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries, police and fire officials said.
The two were crossing at the intersection of West 47th Street and 10th Avenue when they were hit by the bus as it made a left turn onto 47th Street just before 8 a.m., FDNY officials said.
"I was in the kitchen. I heard screams all the way from the third floor," said Mark Martinez, 53, who lives near the accident scene and came rushing downstairs after getting a call from his sister.
"My sister said there was someone under the bus. She threw her jacket down on one of the victims," he said.
"There was a lot of blood."
A cellphone video taken by a witness shows one of the women with her right leg trapped underneath the front wheel on the driver's side of the bus. The other woman was lying in the road with an injury to her right foot.
Carlos Ramirez, a worker at nearby 5 Brothers Gourmet Market, said he's seen the tourists regularly over the last three weeks.
"They were very nice," Ramirez said. "They would come in and talk to us. I hope they're okay."
The bus belonged to Trans-Bridge Lines, which is based out of Bethlehem, Pa. In a statement, the company said the driver, who has been with the company for 10 years, was taking the bus to a parking facility when the accident occurred and that no passengers were on board at the time.
"The company only hires and retains drivers with excellent driving and safety records," a company spokesman said.
"Trans-Bridge Lines is fully cooperating with the New York City Police Department and other governmental agencies."
The victims were taken to New York Hospital and to Roosevelt Hospital, FDNY officials said.
The driver remained on scene. Police said their investigation was ongoing.
