BREAKING NEWS: Philadelphia Trolley Works Involved in Old City Accident

August 11, 4:30PM – About twenty minutes ago, this Phillyist heard a loud crash in her Old City office and noticed a Philly Trolley Works trolley seemed to be stopped at an odd angle just past the southeast corner of Third and Market, near Pizzicato restaurant. We're not sure of the details, but it seems that the trolley hit a Ryder moving van near the Ben Franklin Post Office between Third and Fourth Streets, then turned across the intersection and slammed into a construction van at Market and South Bodine Streets. It's not clear if there were passengers on the bus at the time of the accident. Details are very sketchy at this time (mostly he-said, she-said), but the driver apparently suffered a heart attack or stroke. At least one person (the driver, most likely) was seen on a gurney, being loaded onto an ambulance. We'll post more details as we get them.

UPDATE, AUGUST 11, 4:54PM: Fox 29 has a better picture (sorry, we were using a camera phone) along with video and reports that pedestrians may have been injured in the collision.

UPDATE, AUGUST 11, 5:30PM: At the time of this Phillyist's departure from work, Market Street was blocked from Second to Fourth Streets and traffic traveling north on Third Street was not allowed to cross Market (although it was unclear where it was being diverted to, as people were still traveling north past Chestnut). Additionally, it appears that the accident was worse than we initially thought (it was obstructed by a fire truck): the construction van seems to have hit another car, which in turn knocked down a tree.

We encourage anybody traveling through Old City on their way home from work to be safe and to expect delays. We'll have more updates on this situation in the morning, if not sooner.

UPDATE, AUGUST 11, 11:30PM: Fox29, the first local TV outlet on the scene, now reported on tonight's news that the accident seems to have been caused when the trolley's brakes failed, and that the driver may have purposefully hit the construction van to make his vehicle stop. Unfortunately, there was a man in the back of the van at the time. That man was taken to a hospital for treatment, while the driver remained on the scene.

UPDATE, AUGUST 12, 9AM: Although the vehicles involved in the accident were apparently cleared at around 6PM last night, the signs of the collision remain. The sidewalk on the south side of Market between Third Street and Bodine is still closed off while workers clear a light pole that was knocked over, but traffic flow is back to normal. Drivers do beware, though: pedestrians are walking in the street to avoid the sidewalk closure.

Photos by author.