On Thursday, almost 30 people were injured when a tour bus headed to Niagara Falls overturned while traveling from New York City. The incident led first responders to close a section of a major highway.
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According to Monroe County Sheriff Todd Baxter, per Democrat and Chronicle, a bus that had just dropped off passengers in Rochester was en route to the falls with 27 adults and one child on board when it lost control on I-490 in Chili around 7:10 a.m.
The accident did not involve any other vehicles.
First responders discovered victims of the crash stumbling across the highway “in a state of confusion” following the disaster, Sheriff Baxter explained. Additionally, two individuals had to be rescued from the wreckage.
Over 100 first responders and 18 ambulances swiftly arrived at the scene.
Twenty-eight individuals, including the bus driver, were hospitalized following the incident, with one person in critical condition. According to Sheriff Baxter, this unnamed patient was among those rescued from the bus.
First Responders Recount the Harrowing Scene After a Bus Overturned en Route to Niagara Falls
“It was surreal,” Sheriff Baxter recalled of the harrowing scene. “It was things you trained for, but something you don’t expect to see in real life.”
Meanwhile, authorities are investigating the crash as a potential criminal matter. However, they pointed out that this does not automatically imply the presence of criminal elements.
The bus driver, who departed New York City around midnight, has been fully cooperating with the investigation into the accident. Deputies stated that there is no evidence suggesting the involvement of drugs or alcohol.
Reportedly, the eastbound lanes of I-490 were closed for over two hours before reopening at 9:45. Meanwhile, portions of the westbound lanes were anticipated to remain closed until at least Thursday afternoon.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul released a statement in response to the tragic bus crash.
“I join the people of New York in praying for the well-being of all involved in this serious incident. [I] am deeply grateful for the heroic efforts of our first responders,” Hochul said.
According to Chief Deputy Michael Fowler of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the bus, operated by the Tribal Sun Bus Company, dropped off passengers in Rochester shortly before it overturned.