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2 Injured In Tram Crash On Alcatraz Island

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) - Two people were injured on Alcatraz Island Friday afternoon when the roof of a tram carrying visitors partially collapsed, striking the victims in the head and face, an Alcatraz Cruises spokeswoman said.

The accident was reported shortly after 1:30 p.m., a fire department dispatcher said.

The wreck involved a tram for visitors with mobility problems or those who do not want to make the 1,300-foot walk from the ferry at the island's base to the main cell house, Alcatraz Cruises spokeswoman Tegan Firth said.

The tram, which resembles a large golf cart, was carrying passengers when it struck a pipe sticking out from a wall along the roadway, Firth said.

The pipe caused the front part of the tram's roof to collapse, striking one passenger in the head and the other in the face, according to Firth.

Emergency crews responded and assisted the victims, whose injuries are not considered life-threatening, Firth said.

They were taken back on the ferry to Pier 33, where they were taken by ambulance to San Francisco General Hospital, she said.

The company continued service to and from the island Monday afternoon following the accident, Firth said.

(Copyright 2011 by CBSSan Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services may have contributed to this report.)

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