A Chinatown Fung Wah Bus Rolls Over On Its Way to Boston From New York

AUBURN, Mass. — A New York-to-Boston bus rolled over on an Interstate 290 off-ramp yesterday, injuring 33 people, State Police said.

The Fung Wah bus turned onto its left side about 2 p.m. while negotiating a curve from Route 290 to Route 12 in Auburn.

"It appears the bus was probably traveling too fast for the off-ramp, which caused the bus to roll over on its side," Auburn Police Chief Andrew Sluckis said.

The bus was carrying 57 passengers. Authorities said 33 were taken to UMass Memorial Medical Center with minor injuries, mostly scrapes and bruises.

The bus is operated by Fung Wah Bus Transportation Inc. The low-fare Chinatown-to-Chinatown buses, which offer one-way tickets for $15 between Boston and New York, have become a popular alternative to trains and more expensive bus lines.

Fung Wah employees in the Boston and New York offices had no immediate comment.

The driver was identified as Chuandai Chen, 44, of Brooklyn, State Police said.

Last August, a Fung Wah bus bound for New York caught fire in Meriden, Conn. Forty-five passengers were evacuated moments before flames engulfed the bus. Some passengers complained that Fung Wah ignored their pleas for medical help and insurance claims when they finally arrived in New York.

Massachusetts investigators said they would review safety guidelines with Fung Wah's drivers and owners, and State Police planned to watch the buses closely for speeding and other violations.