MBTA bus collides in Roxbury with truck associated with new Sandra Bullock movie

By Brian R. Ballou and Joanne Rathe, Globe Staff

An MBTA bus collided today in Roxbury with a truck associated with the production of a new Sandra Bullock movie. At least 11 people were taken to the hospital, but authorities said only injuries that were not life threatening were reported.

The accident happened outside the Roxbury Municipal courthouse on Warren Avenue at around 9:30 a.m. An estimated 20 people were on the board the Route 28 bus.

At least six ambulances were on the chaotic scene within five minutes, and paramedics placed neck braces on at least five apparently injured passengers who were lying on the sidewalk.

Those passengers were later placed on stretchers and rushed to nearby hospital. At least six additional passengers, characterized by the paramedics as “walking wounded,” were instructed to lay down or sit on the sidewalk curb. They were also later put on stretchers and evaluated at a hospital.

Boston Emergency Medical Services spokeswoman Jennifer Mehigan said in an e-mail that EMS personnel assessed 15 patients at the scene. MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo said 14 people plus the bus driver had complained of neck and back pain.

Steve MacDonald, a spokesman for the Boston Fire Department, said several people were taken to the hospital, but none had life-threatening injuries. The MBTA Transit Police were investigating, he said.

The crash involved a 60-foot-long articulating bus and a parked movie production truck associated with the the new movie, MacDonald said.

The busy Roxbury intersection was full of public safety personnel. Members of the Boston media, already at the courthouse to cover a court hearing, responded quickly.

Several passengers said the crash came without any warning, and they were hurled forward when it happened.

Some of the passengers were thrown into seats, while other flew into the aisle. Seconds later, some of the stunned passengers gathered themselves off the floor, but others remained down. The female bus driver, appearing shocked, got out of her seat and went to check on the passengers, asking them if they were OK.

A loud hissing sound drew the attention of most of the passengers. “When I heard that sound, I just wanted to get out as fast as possible because I was worried about an explosion,” said Charles Gordon, 55.

“People were screaming and they were everywhere on the bus,” Gordon said.

He was sitting near the middle of the bus and was thrown into the back of the seat in front of him. Sitting on a sidewalk curb, he rubbed his knees and said, “they hurt a bit.”

A member of the movie production team was inside the parked tractor-trailer when the bus hit it. According to his co-workers, he didn’t appeared to be seriously injured but was taken to a hospital for evaluation.

Another production worker said he was sitting on a bench near the entrance of the Roxbury District Court when he heard a loud slamming sound followed by screams. The worker said he went to the bus to offer help.

Dozens of people on their way through the busy area paused and took pictures, using their camera phones, of the crash scene.

The new buddy cop movie, “The Heat,” starring Bullock and Melissa McCarthy began filming in Dudley Square on Thursday. Paul Feig, who helmed “Bridesmaids,” is directing.

It’s not the first time that a car accident has been associated with a Bullock movie filming in Massachusetts. In 2008, Bullock and her then-husband Jesse James, were hit in a head-on collision in Gloucester by an alleged drunk driver. Bullock was in the area shooting the romantic comedy, “The Proposal.”