A tour bus returning to New York City from Niagara Falls has crashed on a major road, killing and injuring multiple people.
The bus, with more than 50 passengers on board, crashed and rolled on Interstate 90 near Pembroke, about 30 miles (48km) east of Buffalo.
“At this time we have multiple fatalities, multiple entrapments and multiple injuries,” said Trooper James O’Callaghan, a spokesperson for the New York State Police. He added that authorities believe one child was among those killed.
Several people inside were thrown from the bus as the windows shattered, while some passengers were still trapped in the wreckage.
O’Callahan said most people on the bus were Indian, Chinese and Filipino, and translators were being brought to the scene. The driver survived and is cooperating with police.
He added: “It’s a full-size tour bus. Heavy amount of damage. Most people I’m assuming on the bus did not have a seat belt on, that is the reason why we have so many ejected people on this bus.”
The Mercy Flight air medical transport service said its three helicopters were transporting people from the crash site to area hospitals.
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Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo said it had at least eight patients.
More helicopters and ambulances were being called to the scene, according to Mercy Flight president Margaret Ferrentino.
“It’s a very active scene,” she said. “At this time we’re praying for the victims.”
“The driver is alive and well,” O’Callaghan said. “We’re working with him. We believe we have a good idea of what happened, why the bus lost control.”
The highway has been closed in both directions, causing massive traffic delays at the onset of one of the last weekends of the summer vacation season.
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