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6 people hospitalized after luggage topples off Charlotte airport bus racks, police say

Six people were hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries after luggage fell on them on an airport bus at Charlotte Douglas International Airport on Wednesday, police said.

“We are on scene, initial reports are multiple patients with non life threatening injuries,” Medic said on Twitter at 6 a.m. “The incident does involve an airport bus.”

A driver “merged suddenly in front of the employee bus, causing the driver of the bus to slam on the (brakes),” Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police spokesman Mike Allinger said in an email to the Observer. “Luggage in the overhead compartments fell on some passengers.”

No collision occurred, according to Allinger.

The incident happened in the 3800 block of Harlee Avenue, according to Medic. That’s off Josh Birmingham Parkway near Long Term Lot 4.

Medic reported taking five patients from the scene to Atrium Health Mountain Island Emergency Department and the other person to CaroMont Regional Medical Center in Gastonia.

Airport officials referred questions from The Charlotte Observer to CMPD.

This story was originally published April 6, 2022 at 10:44 AM.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story gave a wrong description for the incident near Charlotte Douglas International Airport. A vehicle suddenly merged in front of an airport bus, which led to luggage falling on top of the bus passengers.

Corrected Apr 6, 2022
Joe Marusak
The Charlotte Observer
Joe Marusak has been a reporter for The Charlotte Observer since 1989 covering the people, municipalities and major news events of the region, and was a news bureau editor for the paper. He currently reports on breaking news. Support my work with a digital subscription
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