EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Eight people were injured, including two people who are in critical condition and have been flown to a burn center in Phoenix, Arizona, after a vehicle exploded and caused a fire on Wednesday, Feb. 11, at an East El Paso Sun Metro Transit Operations Center.
According to the City of El Paso, the incident, which is still under investigation, resulted in eight people hurt, five transported to local hospitals, and three declining medical transportation.
“Our priority right now is ensuring the well-being of our employees and maintaining critical transit services for our community,” El Paso City Manager Dionne Mack said. “We appreciate the patience of our riders as we work to restore operations safely.”
Sun Metro is working closely with the El Paso Fire Department’s emergency responders and city officials to assess the damage and determine the next steps for restoring full operations at the center, the City said.
“We understand that the public and the media have many questions, and we are committed to
providing answers. However, at this time, we ask for patience as we focus on supporting our staff
and stabilizing operations,” Sun Metro Director Anthony Dekeyzer said.
The City is providing access support to affected employees of Sun Metro, including access to medical care, counseling and assistance with accommodations as needed, the City said.
Sun Metro’s busses will be operating on a Sunday/holiday schedule to maintain essential services, the City said.
These are the following modified Sunday schedules for key routes:
- Route 205 (Mesa BRIO) – Service begins at 6 a.m. with a 20-minute frequency.
- Route 206 (Alameda BRIO) – Service begins at 6 a.m. with a 25-minute frequency.
- Route 207 (Dyer BRIO) – Service begins at 6 a.m. with a 25-minute frequency.
- Route 208 (Montana BRIO) – Service begins at 6 a.m. with a 30-minute frequency.
- Route 59 (Eastside Connector) – First bus departs 6:04 a.m. from DTC, with a 28-minute frequency.
In addition, routes services by community partner Amistad will continue to operate on their regular schedules. The routes include the following:
- Rt. 5 – Far East/Eastside Transfer Center Express
- Rt. 6 – Far East/Mission Valley Transfer Center Express
- Rt. 8 – Gateway Circulator
- Rt. 11 – Mesita via Kern Place
- Rt. 12 – Doniphan Circulator
- Rt. 13 – Coronado Hills Circulator
- Rt. 26 – 5 Points/Alameda Express
- Rt. 54 – RC Poe via Montwood
- Rt. 56 – RC Poe/Far East Circulator
- Rt. 90 – Park-N-Ride Westside to Eastside Express
Riders are encouraged to plan ahead and check for service updates through the Sun Metro’s website and social media platforms.
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