Sunday FAIL: 22-Fillmore Wheelchair Lift Busts Fire Hydrant

Sunday’s 22-Fillmore accident is like a really bad Rube Goldberg situation. We’ve got a customer falling out of the wheelchair lift, sustaining unknown injuries, then 20 minutes later the bus lurches forward and the wheelchair lift nails a fire hydrant, lifting it off the sidewalk, hitting a Muni inspector, and flooding the area.

From SFMTA’s official statement:

At approximately 5:45 p.m., a customer exiting a 22 Fillmore electric trolley bus fell from the extended wheelchair lift of the vehicle, which was stopped (pointed southbound) on Fillmore Street at Haight Street (the northwest corner).

The customer was transported to the hospital with unknown injuries.

At approximately 6:05 p.m., the Muni bus moved forward and the wheelchair lift hit a fire hydrant and sheared it from the sidewalk.  The cause of the bus’s movement is under investigation.

The fire hydrant reportedly struck a Muni Inspector who had responded to the incident.  The Inspector was treated at the scene.

Water from the hydrant reportedly caused flooding in at least one nearby building.

The intersection of Haight/Fillmore was closed by the SFPD and Muni buses serving the 6 Parnassus, 71 Haight-Noriega and 22 Fillmore were re-routed around the affected area.

Per normal procedure, the Muni Operator will be placed on non-driving status and tested for drugs and alcohol.

The scene cleared and regular Muni service was restored at 7:35 p.m.

Matt Baume and Eve Batey at SFAppeal put together a great report on the incident, complete with a slideshow (above). Someone from the city was handing out claim forms to people who own buildings or stores in the area, Matt reports.