Residents react to MTA bus crashing into Baltimore apartment building: 'I was shocked'

BALTIMORE -- Investigators are still trying to determine how an MTA bus crashed into an apartment building over the weekend in Baltimore.

The crash happened Saturday morning when more than a dozen people were taken to the hospital as a result.

MTA Police, the agency handling the investigation, didn't provide new updates on Monday. 

At last check, at least 15 victims were taken to area hospitals, including Shock Trauma.

Elaine Nalikka, who lives in the apartment building on North Paca Street, told WJZ she first got an email about what happened.

As soon as she read it, she went downstairs to see the damage for herself.

"It's strange a bus would crash into the building," Nalikka said. "There's nowhere for the bus to turn, so I was just wondering how it could've happened. I was shocked."

Baltimore Police say after 10 a.m. Saturday, the bus first crashed into a Lexus at Paca and Mulberry streets. Then, the bus hit a Nissan, before finally crashing into the building.

Initially, there were concerns about what the crash did to the building's structure. However, inspectors only deemed the first floor was still an issue.

A notice saying the building was partially condemned could be seen posted Monday near where the bus crashed into the building.

The cause is still under investigation, but reckless driving has come up as a possibility.

"There's some speculation, as well as a bystander account, that there were vehicles racing down this street," said Kevin Cartwright, Public Information Office for the Baltimore City Fire Department. "The MTA bus, in an attempt to avoid being a part of that situation, collided into the building."

Hearing reckless driving could be the cause was another big surprise for Nalikka. 

She's been living in the building since October and she hasn't seen any kind of reckless driving on Paca Street.

"Most buses that travel down this road are pretty careful," she said. "I've never seen a bus barreling down this road, going too fast or anything."

Other neighbors told WJZ that reckless driving is an issue in this part of the city.

Baltimore City Fire initially told WJZ there were no critical or life-threatening injuries, but Baltimore Police said two victims possibly did have life-threatening injuries.