The driver of the SUV was protected by an airbag, but people on the bus sustained injuries.
It was a pretty chaotic scene early Sunday morning at the intersection of 47th & Spruce with lots of ambulances and emergency vehicles on the scene of what police say looked like a demolition derby.
Police say it was about 4:00am Sunday morning when the SEPTA Route 42 bus, travelling east bound on Spruce Street when it was struck by a woman in an SUV that ran a red light at the intersection.
The impact sent the bus careening out of control, striking a tree and several cars. The parked cars were heavily damaged.
"I was shaken, pretty shaken," said Troy Bard.
Troy Bard was on board the bus.
"The bus came through the green light. He had the right of way when the lady came and broadsided the bus. He was trying to get out of the car's way," Bard said.
Police say the SUV hit the bus and slammed into a Buick Century, which appears to be totaled beyond repair.
"One girl was laying on the floor, I was in the mid section of the bus, and one guy came from the back to make sure the driver was alright," said Bard.
At least 5 people on the bus including the driver were taken by ambulance to University of Pennsylvania Hospital, all of them with non-life threatening injuries.
Sleeping residents, a number of whom had gone to sleep late after a night of St. Patrick's Day festivities were awaken to the loud sound of the bus crashing into a parked car which caused a chain reaction of at least 8 parked cars slamming into each other before it ultimately crashed into the tree.
"It was like scary, really, you're like sleeping peacefully and the next minute, BOOM!," said Jared Heit.
"I was sleeping in my bed, and my roommate told me that she heard a crash, and then I came out this morning and my car is sandwiched in," said Margo Firestein.
Margo Firestein is among those whose parked cars were damaged as the result of the accident.
"I don't think I'm going to be able to move it out unless everything else is moved. It's amazing how much damage has been," said Margo. "It started down there and went like an accordion."
The accident remains under investigation.
