A tour bus smashed into the back of a tractor-trailer on a Southern California highway early Sunday morning. The accident left 13 people dead and 31hurt, authorities said.
California Highway Patrol (CHP) Chief Jim Abele told reporters that the bus was moving west on Interstate 10 when the accident happened near Palm Springs, a city about 100 miles (160 km) east of Los Angeles.
Due to the bus’ velocity, the truck’s trailer drove about 15 feet into the bus. The bus driver was among the 13 killed, Abele said. He believed the 31 injured passengers had minor to moderate injuries. Some, however, could be worse, he added.
“In almost 35 years, I’ve never been to a crash where there’s been 13 confirmed deaths. So it’s tough. It’s tough for all of us,” Abele said.
Several survivors described the majority of the passengers, all of whom were adults, were sleeping when the crash occurred, Abele said. He said the bus had been checked just last April and there was no sign of mechanical problems.
Images from the incident showed the front of the tour bus jammed inside the rear of the trailer. They also showed emergency workers using metal ladders to access the inside of the bus.
Officials said the injured were being treated at hospitals. All westbound lanes of the interstate were sealed off near the crash and would likely be reopened around 4 p.m., Abele said.
Abele said the bus seemed to be transporting casino-goers back to Los Angeles from the Red Earth Casino after a night of gambling.
USA Holiday Bus, the Los Angeles-area bus company involved in the crash, could not immediately be reached for comment. The driver was one of the company’s owners, the local Desert Sun newspaper reported.
The National Transportation Safety Board said it is sending an investigative team to the site to investigate the crash.
Abele said it was unclear whether the bus was speeding or if alcohol, drugs or fatigue was a factor in the crash. However, it was traveling “significantly faster” than the tractor-trailer, he added.
The post California Tour Bus Smash Into Trailer – 13 Killed, 31 Injured appeared first on Newsline.
No comments:
Post a Comment