The crash occurred in a bus lane adjacent to South Parking in the Pentagon transit loop and involved a Fairfax County Connector bus
08:11 ET, 24 Apr 2026Updated 08:54 ET, 24 Apr 2026
Videos of the aftermath of the incident posted on social media show multiple emergency vehicles and authorities responding to the scene(Image: X)
At least 16 people were injured when two buses collided head on near the Pentagon on Friday, authorities said.
The crash occurred in a bus lane adjacent to South Parking in the Pentagon transit loop and involved a Fairfax County Connector bus, according to initial reports.
Officials said the collision was not at high speed, but at least one person was transported to a trauma center. Most of the injuries were described as minor.
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Emergency crews responded to the scene shortly after the crash and were assessing passengers and securing the area. The cause of the collision was not immediately clear.
No further details about the number of people on board or the conditions of those injured were immediately available.
No further details about the number of people on board or the conditions of those injured were immediately available
Videos of the aftermath of the incident posted on social media show multiple emergency vehicles and authorities responding to the scene.
The collision comes a day after another Metrobus that was occupied only by its driver caught fire inside a Northwest D.C. tunnel on Thursday.
That incident sent smoke across the nation’s capital, and it shut down the 9th Street Tunnel into Friday.
The driver was not injured and other vehicles in the tunnel were evacuated.
General Manager of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Randy Clarke assured riders and residents that the system is safe and that an investigation into the incident will be launched.
“We are a very safe system; we know that we are,” Clarke said. “With that said, it’s happened. We want to work with our partners. We’ll do forensic investigations. We will learn from investigations. And we get better.”
Videos and images shared on social media showed some of the city’s tourist attractions, and governmental buildings, surrounded by plumes of smoke, including the Capitol, Washington Monument and the National Mall.
The bus that caught fire is a hybrid diesel vehicle model that has been removed from services. The cause of the fire remains unclear.
Nevertheless, Metro believes the fire could be due to a mechanical issue.
“The tunnel is designed with air shafts and vents to give people time to get out,” DC Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly said.