Chaos erupted on a steep San Francisco street on Monday afternoon after a cable car came to a sudden, violent stop, injuring 15 people and triggering an emergency response in one of the city’s busiest corridors.
The incident unfolded on California Street between Hyde and Leavenworth near Nob Hill, where the San Francisco Fire Department rushed to the scene amid reports of multiple injuries just after 3pm.
Officials said the cable car abruptly halted as it was traveling uphill, causing passengers to lurch forward and prompting immediate calls for medical assistance. Fire officials say an object might have been thrown at the cable car.
‘We were just on our way uphill and then it genuinely just like stopped really hard,’ Willa Meade said to the San Francisco Chronicle. ‘It just stopped in its tracks like super fast.’
She added: ‘Everyone just flew in the air and started screaming.’
The fire department initially reported that 14 people were injured and that multiple ambulances were dispatched to the scene.
Emergency crews urged the public to avoid the area as first responders treated patients in the street.
Witnesses reported a man who was ‘bleeding from his neck and head and shouting for help,’ while a woman with children by her side appeared to be having a panic attack.
A cable car came to a sudden, violent stop on a street in San Francisco injuring 15 people and triggering a mass emergency response in one of the city’s busiest corridors
Officials said the cable car abruptly halted, sending passengers lurching and prompting immediate calls for medical assistance
‘We have many ambulances coming into the area to deal with the patients that we are treating here,’ the San Francisco Fire Department said in an early update, noting that injuries ranged from minor to moderate.
Aerial footage showed cracks in the cable car’s windshield and people in reflective vests checking underneath the car.
In a later update, fire officials said the situation had been stabilized and fully assessed.
‘At this time the MCI [mass casualty incident] has been secured,’ the department said.
Fifteen patients were evaluated at the scene, according to officials. Two people were transported immediately due to their injuries, while 11 others were taken to hospitals for what officials described as minor aches and pains.
Two additional individuals declined transport after being evaluated. No life-threatening injuries were reported.
Cable cars are a defining feature of San Francisco’s transit system and a major draw for tourists, making the incident especially jarring for passengers and bystanders alike
California Street between Hyde and Leavenworth remains closed as investigators examine the cable car. Officials have not yet provided a timeline for reopening the roadway.
Cable cars are a defining feature of San Francisco’s transit system and a major draw for tourists and generally have a strong safety record, making the incident especially jarring for passengers and bystanders alike.
Passengers do not wear seat belts and often hang off the partly open-air cars.
Cable cars first began running in San Francisco in the 1870s, and they were designated as a National Historic Landmark in the 1960s. Today, there are three cable car lines in the city.
Authorities have emphasized that the investigation is ongoing and that further details will be released once more information becomes available.
‘Safety for our passengers on all Muni vehicles continues to be our top priority. We’ll be conducting a full review of incident details to ensure continued safety on the cable cars,’ San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) said in a statement.