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NJ TRANSIT Bus Crashes Into Newark Building

NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Ten people were hurt after a crash with a taxi sent a NJ TRANSIT bus into a building in Newark.

It happened around 12:45 a.m. Thursday on the corner of Market and Washington streets.

The bus was headed for Newark's Penn Station when it collided with a cab. NJ TRANSIT spokesman William Smith said the cab cut in front of the bus, causing the crash, WCBS 880's Levon Putney reported.

The impact carried both vehicles about 100 feet across the street and then sent the bus into a storefront, causing structural damage. The cab apparently hit a crosswalk sign.

"I'm glad no one was walking by when that happened," said bus passenger Larry Yancey. "This is a busy area. There are a lot of people walking up and down the street all the time."

NJ TRANSIT Bus Crashes Into Newark Building

"I've never seen anything like that in my life," one man said.

"I feel bad for the guy who was driving 'cause he took a really hard hit to the head by the windshield," 10-year-old Willow Davis said.

Engineers were assessing the damage to the 100-year-old building. They are worried moving the bus will cause a partial building collapse, injuring people nearby, CBS 2's Weijia Jiang reported.

"Half of the bus is inside the building," said Newark Director of Engineering Mehdi Mohommadish. "It appears it's holding up some of the structure that has been cracked."

Eight passengers and both drivers were rushed to a hospital. The bus driver was in critical condition with a head injury.

Investigators plan to interview everyone who was on the bus and both drivers, as well as review surveillance video.

The closed-off scene caused major traffic jams downtown.

"It's insane," said Newark resident Ronald Finley. "It took me an hour to get down here when it usually takes me 15 minutes."

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