Bus accident still unexplained

Why the power went out on a shuttle bus that crashed last month during an Over-the-Rhine home tour might never be known, a police traffic specialist said Tuesday.

An inspection of the bus found that the brakes did not fail, Lt. Robert Hungler said. The bus lost power on a steep street June 6, crossed Vine Street and slammed into a vacant building, injuring 22 people.

The inspector said the bus' radiator might have overheated, causing the bus to lose power and the power brakes to stop working. Hungler, however, said it's impossible to prove that's what happened. Investigators will confer with the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office on possible charges.

Hungler said that could happen as soon as next week. The Broadway Commons Park & Shuttle bus was chartered by the Over-the-Rhine Foundation for its summer home tour.

City joins national response plan

Cincinnati is taking a greater role in preparing the nation for a bioterror attack. At the request of federal officials, the city will help develop a national response plan in case smallpox, anthrax and other pathogens are detected in the air.

The work will be done at the National Homeland Security Research Center, based at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency offices in Corryville.

Kathy Clayton, a senior environmental safety specialist with the Cincinnati Health Department, was assigned to the federal program this week. The appointment is for one year.

Federal officials said this summer that al-Qaida is plotting a terrorist attack in the United States, possibly involving biological or chemical poisoning.

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