Fifteen people were injured on Monday afternoon when a San Francisco cable car came to a sudden stop. According to the San Francisco Fire Department, the injuries ranged from minor to moderate.
Two passengers were immediately transported to local hospitals, while eleven others received treatment for what the department described as “minor aches and pains.”
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), which operates the city’s cable cars, confirmed that it is actively investigating the incident but has not yet provided a cause for the abrupt stop.
Cable cars are a major tourist attraction in San Francisco and are famously celebrated in Tony Bennett’s song about the city. Passengers typically do not wear seatbelts and often ride in partially open cars.
The city’s cable cars began operating in the 1870s and were designated a National Historic Landmark in the 1960s. Today, three cable car lines continue to operate in the city.
“SFMTA prioritizes passenger safety across all our vehicles. We will conduct a full review of the incident details to ensure continued cable car safety,” the agency said in a statement.
