Roof of MBTA bus torn off by bridge in Westwood

WESTWOOD, Mass. (WHDH) -- A tight squeeze ended with an MBTA bus stuck under a bridge in Westwood on Saturday.

The top of the bus was damaged and that caused natural gas to start leaking out, forcing emergency crews to evacuate a nearby store.

Tanks packed with gas were strapped to the roof of the bus as it headed down East Street. The tanks smashed into a railroad bridge, temporarily stopping train service and forcing neighbors to clear out quickly.

“The hissing on the video is the natural gas pouring out of the tanks,” said Bobby McGee, a witness.

The bus powered by six tanks of natural gas strapped to the roof didn't quite clear the 10 foot six bridge in Westwood Saturday afternoon.

The bus was empty and the bus driver was uninjured, but natural gas leaked from broken pipes which shut down East Street. Trains were stopped and more than a dozen homes and a grocery store were evacuated while crews tried to stop the leak.

“The way the leak was, we really couldn’t stop it because it was where the diaphragm, all the connections to the tanks on top of the bus come together,” said Captain Richard Cerullo, Westwood Fire Department.

Hours later, the leaky bus was moved to vent in a safer spot. But the crash is still raising concerns.

“That bridge has been hit numerous times but never by a bus,” Captain Cerullo said,

People in Westwood say they're relived this situation didn't create more of a scene to see.

“It could have been a lot worse than it is. I’m hoping that somebody in the town does something to prevent a future incident here,” McGee said.

The fire department says countless vehicles have failed to clear the bridge.