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Five dead, dozens hurt in ‘horrible’ US highway crash
WASHINGTON — Five people died and dozens were injured in a "horrible" crash involving a tour bus and three tractor trailers on a major US highway Sunday.
Pennsylvania State Police said the pre-dawn crash on the busy Pennsylvania Turnpike—billed as America's "First Superhighway"—happened at about 3:40 a.m. (0840 GMT, 11:40 a.m., PHL time) in Westmoreland County, east of Pittsburgh.
"There are five fatalities," the police said on Twitter, adding that 39 people were taken to hospitals.
PA TURNPIKE: A multi-vehicle fatal crash occurred at mile marker 86.1 on I-76 westbound, in Mount Pleasant Twp, Westmoreland Co, at approx. 3:40 this morning involving a tour bus and 2 commercial vehicles. 5 fatalities are confirmed. Multiple unknown injuries at this time. pic.twitter.com/0VubIbqRmA
— PA State Police (@PAStatePolice) January 5, 2020
Here are the images of the crash that killed 5 people and injured 60 other on the Turnpike this morning. pic.twitter.com/pa8QPSOzLA
— Chris Hoffman (@NewsmanChris) January 5, 2020
But Turnpike spokesman Carl DeFebo said "probably dozens of patients, about 60 patients" were transported to local hospitals after the "horrible crash."
"I personally haven't witnessed a crash of this magnitude in 20 years," he told Pittsburgh's Action 4 News.
Aerial images broadcast by the station showed a bus overturned. "New York" and "Ohio," it read on its visible side.
A FedEx trailer was nearby, ripped open to expose its load of brown packages, while two other trucks had come to rest against a snow-dusted embankment.
Police said the tour bus "was traveling on a downhill curve and struck an embankment" before the commercial vehicles behind it then hit the bus.
A passenger vehicle was also involved, police said, without giving a cause of the crash.
Asked if weather conditions were a factor, DeFebo replied: "We just can't say."
The Pennsylvania Turnpike, which opened in 1940, was closed in both directions, he said. — Agence France-Presse
