On September 23, 2005, Hurricane Rita was churning through the Gulf of Mexico and Texas and Louisiana were under a hurricane threat. Just a month earlier, Hurricane Katrina had devastated New Orleans. As hurricane Rita approached, Brighton Gardens, a Bellaire nursing home owned by Sunrise Senior Living Services of McLean, VA, ordered buses for its residents and staff to be evacuated to a sister facility in Dallas. The nursing home residents and staff boarded two buses provided by Global Limo, Inc. of Pharr, TX. One of the buses caught fire and 23 Brighton Garden residents died.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) determined the probable cause of the accident was insufficient lubrication of a rear axle, which over heated and caused a fire in the wheel well that filled the 1998 Motor Coach Industries bus with flames and heavy smoke. The families of the victims contended that the bus manufacturer and the component part makers were aware of a design defect in the hub and axle system that could fail resulting in injuries.
The settlement helps bring closure to the families, but it also plays a more important role in making safety a priority to the motor coach bus industry including the manufacturer, bus broker, bus motor carrier, bus maintenance provider, operator and driver. Safety is the utmost concern for the passengers riding in the bus as well as the vehicles on the roadway the bus driver encounters.
