Steuben Street in the West End reopened late yesterday morning after a crash involving a dump truck and several other vehicles injured at least three people.

Witnesses said the dump truck, pulling a trailer with a backhoe, may have lost its brakes as it traveled down Steuben toward the West End Circle shortly before 9 a.m.

The truck hit parked cars as it rounded the bend above Wabash Street, then plowed into at least three vehicles at the intersection of Steuben and Alexander streets, where a city police officer was directing traffic.

The officer was not injured.

The dump truck hit and spun a pickup truck. It continued through the intersection, striking another pickup and a utility truck, forcing both into a parking lot beside a construction trailer.

The construction trailer hit an adjacent duplex on Steuben, where two residents were awakened by the screeching crash. The two men and their apartment were shaken by the impact of collision.

Matt Byars, 23, and Aaron Julian, 21, who live in the duplex, said it felt like an earthquake.

Neither man was injured. The building sustained some damage inside and out, but the owner, Vince Giangarlo, said city building inspectors believe the structure is sound, save for a cracked wall and doorways that now are out of line.

At least three motorists were injured and taken to hospitals by ambulance. Paramedics helped free two drivers who were pinned in their vehicles.

Police at one point made room for a Port Authority bus to get through the intersection. The driver of the Fairywood bus, Paul Burke, said the runaway dump truck narrowly missed striking his vehicle, which was transporting several passengers.

All other traffic was rerouted to Main Street until the streets were reopened just after 11 a.m.

State police also were at the scene. The dump truck, owned by Thomas Didiano and Sons, had a state inspection sticker that expired in June.

The driver of the dump truck and the owner may face multiple violations and citations, pending conclusion of a city police inspection of the truck and the trailer, police Cmdr. Scott Schubert said.