1 dead after car crashes into bus station, catches fire on I-35W in Minneapolis
As of Sunday morning, the Minnesota State Patrol is reporting that there was only one occupant in the car that crashed into a bus station and caught fire on I-35W Saturday night.
Initially reported as a double-homicide, more information is expected soon.
Update: Preliminary investigation indicated this was a double fatality crash. Further investigation determined there was a single occupant in the vehicle. Incident information will be posted on our media web page when available. This remains an open investigation. https://t.co/vJoXliQX4s
— State Patrol PIO (@MSPPIO) October 17, 2021
The earlier story continues below.
Two people are dead after a car crashed into a Metro Transit bus station and caught fire Saturday night on Interstate 35W, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.
Viewer-submitted video shows a car engulfed in flames that had somehow jumped onto the bus station platform at Lake Street. Minneapolis firefighters were able to extinguish the flames. Two people inside the car were pronounced dead.
The car was traveling northbound in the Metro Transit lanes in the center of the highway, which are separated from general traffic by a concrete barrier.
[Courtesy of John Carney]
[anvplayer video=”5063974″ station=”998122″]
The incident began at about 7:46 p.m. Traffic on the highway was mostly normal by 8:30 p.m., according to traffic cameras.
According to the Minneapolis Fire Department, as of Saturday morning, the damage to the bus structure is mostly cosmetic.
The bus station, which is accessed via Lake Street below, is part of the new Orange Line bus rapid transit service and was set to debut on Monday as part of the Downtown to Crosstown project.
Metro Transit spokesman Howie Padilla says the station’s grand opening has been delayed as a result of the crash and that officials have to evaluate the structure of the station as well as some safety aspects before making the decision to open it.