Five people died tragically this morning, and dozens of others were injured, when a tour bus headed for Cincinnati, Ohio triggered a violent chain-reaction crash along the Pennsylvania Turnpike about 40 miles east of Pittsburgh.
Z&D Tours Bus Struck Embankment on Downhill Curve
The bus, owned and operated by Z&D Tours, Inc., was travelling along a downhill curve in the westbound lanes of the turnpike (Interstate 76) when it struck an embankment and flipped onto its side near mile-marker 86 in Mt. Pleasant Township, Westmoreland County. A passenger vehicle, along with three 18-wheelers (two UPS trucks and a FedEx truck), subsequently collided with the stricken bus.
Authorities confirmed the five deaths but have yet to identify any of the deceased. As of 1:00 p.m., emergency crews were still working to remove bodies from the wreckage.
“Because of the severity of the crash, and how entangled the vehicles are, we’re still working hard to get IDs on the individuals who have passed away,” Pennsylvania State Police spokesman Stephen Limani told reporters during a Sunday afternoon media briefing.
Multiple Children Among Victims of Pennsylvania Tour Bus Crash
The deadly accident left roughly 55 others injured, including multiple children.
Excela Frick Hospital in Mount Pleasant received 31 crash victims ranging in age from 7 to 52. While four of those individuals were later transferred to trauma centers in Pittsburgh, the remaining patients have been treated and released.
Eighteen others, including six children, were taken to UPMC Somerset. By this afternoon, 15 of those patients had also been treated and released.
Eleven people between the ages of 15 and 67 were taken to Forbes Regional Hospital in the Pittsburgh suburb of Monroeville. One patient is currently listed in critical condition, while the others are listed as fair.
Three people are being treated at UPMC Presbyterian in Pittsburgh, and one child has been admitted to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Their condition remains unknown.
NTSB Investigating Deadly Pennsylvania Turnpike Crash
According to the Pennsylvania State Police, the tour bus was on its way to Cincinnati from Rockaway, New Jersey and many of those onboard were visiting the United States from overseas. While authorities have yet to determine their home countries, several passengers apparently spoke Spanish or Japanese.
“We’re doing everything we can to make sure while they’re in our country, and they’re involved in this horrific incident, that we’re able to be compassionate and provide the things that they’re going to need outside of just medical treatment,” Limani continued.
So far, it’s not clear what caused this morning’s deadly tour bus crash. According to a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, the roadway was wet from snow but had been treated and was not especially icy at the time of the accident.
The Pennsylvania State Police and the National Transportation Safety Board have personnel at the crash scene, and until recently, the turnpike was closed in both directions between the New Stanton and the Breezewood exits so investigators could access the site. While the eastbound lanes of the highway have since reopened, the westbound side will likely remain shut down for several more hours.
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