Mobile Lounge Accident at Dulles Airport

A mobile lounge, or personnel transfer device, crashed into a pier at Washington Dulles International Airport on Monday, resulting in 18 passengers being taken to hospitals with injuries that are not life-threatening, according to officials.

The incident happened around 4:30 p.m. while the vehicle was parked at Concourse D and collided at an angle with a dock. This dock is typically where passengers board the concourse.

The airport authority stated that passengers were able to get off the mobile lounge using stairs, and fire and rescue teams were assessing the situation for any potential injuries related to the crash.

Initially, reports indicated that eight people had been injured, but that number was later revised to 18.

As of now, the exact cause of the crash remains unclear, and it’s uncertain whether any significant damage was done to the airport’s infrastructure or equipment. Emergency services transported the injured to hospitals.

Aerial images show a substantial presence of emergency personnel at the scene, which suggests the response was quite thorough. Passengers, who had exited the mobile lounge, did so safely via stairs.

The airport remains open and is functioning normally, with operations continuing as per usual. Dulles is located around 42 miles west of Washington, D.C., and serves the surrounding metropolitan area.

The mobile lounge is designed to accommodate up to 102 passengers and measures about 54 feet in length and 16 feet in width.