B757 CREW RPTS TOW BAR FAILURE DURING PUSHBACK WITH SUBSEQUENT FLT ATTENDANT INJURIES WHEN BRAKES ARE VIGOROUSLY APPLIED.

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WITH 192 SOULS ON BOARD INCLUDING 1 CABIN AND 1 COCKPIT JUMPSEAT FILLED; I GAVE CLRNC TO THE RAMP TO PUSH FROM GATE. THERE IS CONSTRUCTION ON TXWY A WITH ARR ACFT EXITING OFF RWY 28R NEAR THIS GATE. WE HAD GONE ABOUT 20 FT; WHEN THERE WAS A VERY STRONG JOLT TO THE ACFT NOSE AREA AND THE ACFT BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AWAY FROM THE TUG. I CALLED SEVERAL TIMES TO THE GND CREW AND GOT NO ANSWER. I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND GOT THE ACFT STOPPED. I INSTRUCTED THE FO TO CHK WITH THE CABIN AS TO THE CONDITION OF THE CREW AND PAX. I CALLED GND CTL AND ADVISED THEM THAT WE WERE STOPPED PARTIALLY INTO THE TXWY AND THAT WE HAD TROUBLE WITH THE TUG. ANOTHER TOW BAR WAS BROUGHT TO THE ACFT AND THEY PLUGGED IN TO INFORM US THAT THE PIN HAD SHEARED AND THEY HAD ANOTHER TOW BAR AND WERE READY TO FINISH PUSHING. AT THE SAME TIME THE FLT ATTENDANTS CAME TO THE COCKPIT TO TELL THE CONDITION OF THE PAX AND CREW. 1 FLT ATTENDANT HAD AN ICE COMPRESS ON HER NOSE BRIDGE AREA. THERE WAS AN OPEN CUT AND I COULD SEE SWELLING IN THE AREA. SHE ADVISED ME THAT SHE THOUGHT SHE COULD CONTINUE. I ADVISED HER TO GET MEDICAL TREATMENT AND THAT I WAS REMOVING HER FROM THE FLT FOR HER OWN SAFETY. THEY ALSO CHKED AND ADVISED THAT ALL PAX WERE IN THEIR SEATS WITH BELTS ON AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. I ADVISED THE PUSH CREW THAT WE NEEDED TO BE TOWED BACK TO THE GATE. THE FO CALLED OPS AND ASKED FOR THE AGENT TO MEET US BACK AT THE GATE. MAINT WAS REQUESTED AND ENTERED IN THE LOGBOOK. AFTER SOME INSPECTIONS OF THE NOSE GEAR; MAINT CLRED THE ACFT FOR FLT AND ISSUED A NEW RELEASE. DISPATCH WAS NOTIFIED VIA ACARS AS TO OUR SITUATION. I MADE SEVERAL CABIN ANNOUNCEMENTS AS TO THE EVENT AND THE ONGOING PROCESS OF THE INSPECTIONS. FLT ATTENDANTS MADE THE PAX COMFORTABLE WHILE THIS WAS RESOLVED.